Damien Hirst gives Tate four works

British artist Damien Hirst has donated four of his works to the Tate collection, including a replica of his prize-winning installation of bisected cows in formaldehyde, the London museum said Friday.

The donation is the first of a series that the 42-year-old Hirst plans to make to the national British art collection as part of a pledge he and 23 other leading artists made in 2004 to give significant works to the museum.

Tate director Nicholas Serota said donations from artists such as Hirst were crucial to keep the museum's collection current amid soaring art prices.

A Hirst piece set a record in June for the highest price paid at auction for a work by a living artist, selling for $19.1 million. That record was broken last month when a sculpture by American artist Jeff Koons sold for $23.6 million.