Christian Cardell Corbet

Christian Corbet (born 1966) is a Canadian artist and philanthropist. He is a Sculptor in Residence for the Royal Canadian Navy.

Early career Corbet's earliest inspiration came from Lake Ontario near where he was born and studies signage from his paternal grandfather.

He later moved to British Columbia where he was befriended by Jack Shadbolt and Bill Reid. Later he moved to the UK where he practiced watercolours. Disappointed with the results he destroyed most of them.

Corbet's first commission was a portrait of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1995 which he was asked to present at Clarence House.

Corbet painted a portrait of Princess Diana which was presented to Princes William and Harry in 1997.

Founding Institutions In 1996 Corbet founded the Canadian Portrait Academy(CPA), Canada's first professional organization dedicated to the fine art of portraiture.

In 2026 Corbet founded and was appointed Founding Director of the Canadian Centre for Sculpture (CCS), an independent national initiative devoted to the study, preservation, documentation, and public understanding of sculpture in Canada.

Subjects In 2000, Corbet sculpted Dame Jane Goodall from life in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

In 2010, Corbet sculpted an official portrait bust of Vice Admiral Charles Kingsmill and in 2011 Chief Petty Officer Max Bernays for the Royal Canadian Navy among numerous others.

For the Royal Canadian Navy Corbet has since sculpted the following people: Vice Admiral Ralph Hennessey, Midshipman William Palmer, Adelaide Sinclair, Margaret Brooke, and Leander Green.

In 2011, the National Museum of Ireland acquired a forensic facial reconstruction of an Irish-born Canadian soldier from World War I named Thomas Lawless, also known as the Avion I Project as sculpted by Christian Corbet.

In 2013, a bust by Corbet of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was unveiled. The sculpture was created in Buckingham Palace and was commissioned by The Royal Canadian Regiment.

In 2017, Corbet created a sculpture of Robert the Bruce, based on casts of the skull. Andrew Nelson of the University of Western Ontario determined that King Robert the Bruce did not die of leprosy. The sculpture is in the permanent collection of Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.

In 2018, Corbet sculpted from life sittings in the Supreme Court of Canada The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin.

In 2018, Corbet along with Vice Admiral Mark Norman of the Royal Canadian Navy unveiled the official portrait of Able Seaman Leander Greene at the Canadian War Museum.

Corbet has also sculpted a portrait of General Romeo Dallaire and former Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance.

In 2020, Corbet sculpted a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II for the Platinum Jubilee.

In 2020, Corbet made preliminary sketches and maquette miniature of a proposed public statue of HM Queen Elizabeth II which was announced in the House of Lords.

In 2022, Corbet was commissioned to sculpt an authorized forensic facial reconstruction of King Tutankhamun for the 100th anniversary of the discovery of his tomb. Corbet and the sculpture were featured in a 2-hour movie on PBS Tutankhamun Allies and Enemies which aired in 2022.

In 2022, Corbet produced and directed a memorial tribute to the late HM Queen Elizabeth II for the Royal Canadian Navy.

Awards

In 2012, Corbet was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

In 2012, Corbet was granted a coat of arms (armorial bearings) and a badge by the Canadian Government.

In 2022, Corbet was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal by Lt. Governor of New Brunswick Brenda Murphey.

In 2025, Corbet was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

Arms

Books

Published memoir Brutal Youth-A Memoir in Poems in 2025 by Canadian Art Publications.

Corbet is represented in the permanent collection of the Canadian War Museum with a forensic facial reconstruction of WWI soldier Private Thomas Lawless.

Corbet is collected in the permanent collection of Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum with a forensic facial reconstruction of King Robert the Bruce.

Corbet is represented in the Supreme Court of Canada with his portrait of sculptor Walter Allward.

Corbet is represented in the Halifax Naval Museum with several sculptures.

GALLERY Supreme Court of Canada