Manuscript Collection MS COLL 00044 - Douglas M. Duncan Papers

Douglas Moerdyke Duncan was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1902. In 1909, the Duncan family moved to Toronto, and Duncan attended U.T.S and then the University of Toronto. After his graduation in 1925, he worked briefly in his father's business in Toronto, but left to travel to Paris and study at the Sorbonne. In the fall of 1927, he began to study bookbinding techniques, and in 1928 set up his own studio, first in Paris and then in Toronto. At the same time, he also began to seriously collect books and art. In 1936, he founded the Picture Loan Society, which was established to exhibit, sell and lend out the works of contemporary Canadian artists. His work with the Society eventually became his main occupation. He accumulated a large personal collection of original works of Canadian artists and became a leading participant in the Canadian art world. He died in 1968.