Douglas Moerdyke Duncan

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Douglas Moerdyke Duncan (1902–1968) was a Canadian art dealer and collector. He was an early promoter of Canadian art.

Early life[]

Douglas was born in 1902 to Fannie Elizabeth Moerdyke and Smith Frederick Duncan. He grew up in Forest Hill, Toronto. After attending school in his native city, he left for Paris in 1925 and trained as a bookbinder.[1]

Career[]

After completing his education in Toronto and Paris, Douglas managed a bookbinding studio in Toronto. In 1936, he became a founding member of the experimental , which offered artworks for rental by the month and sponsored numerous small exhibitions every year.[2] It focused exclusively on living Canadian artists.[2] Artists on its roster included Carl Schaefer, L.L. Fitzgerald, "Scottie" Wilson, Harold Town, Paul-Emile Borduas, Isabel McLaughlin, and Bertram Brooker.[3]

Douglas particularly admired the work of David Milne, who he sought out from the Muskoka wilderness after admiring his work for the first time in 1935, eventually becoming his agent in 1938.[2]

Art collection[]

Since becoming the sole administrator of the Picture Loan Society in 1940, Douglas amassed a collection of over 4,000 works of Canadian art, including a significant number of works by David Milne.[3] After his death in 1968, his sister, Frances Duncan Barwick, distributed his art collection to 42 public museums or university art collections across Canada, and to the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris.[4]

References[]

  1. ^ Finch, Robert (1974). Jarvis, Alan (ed.). Douglas Duncan: A Memorial Portrait. University of Toronto Press. p. 27.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c MOON, BARBARA. "THE MAN WHO DISCOVERED CANADIAN PAINTING | Maclean's | JANUARY 4 1964". Maclean's | The Complete Archive. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Finding aid for the Douglas Duncan and Frances Duncan Barwick fonds at the National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives. https://www.gallery.ca/library/ngc050.html
  4. ^ Jarvis, Alan (1974). "Distribution of the Douglas M. Duncan Collection". Douglas Duncan: A Memorial Portrait. University of Toronto Press.

External links[]

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