Edward Bruce papers, 1902-1960, bulk 1932-1942

Biographical Material includes Edward Bruce's Diploma from Columbia University and a certificate appointing him to the Commission of Fine Arts. Also in this series are biographical documents verifying his birth.

Well over one-half of the collection is comprised of Edward Bruce's personal and professional correspondence, the bulk of which dates from 1932 to 1942, the period Bruce worked as the Chief of the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. His official work and activities in this capacity are well-documented through an abundance of correspondence with other government officials and colleagues concerning the Section of Fine Art's programs, projects, and commissions, and other federal government art programs and public art projects. There is also correspondence relating to Bruce's role on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission. Bruce's extensive correspondence with Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt about public art projects is found in this series.

There is also personal and business correspondence with many artists, dealers, museums, galleries, and arts associations. A great deal of this correspondence concerns Bruce's own artwork, his personal art collection, and his role as a juror for many art exhibitions.

The Correspondence series is arranged into 2 subseries:

• Subseries 2.1: Alphabetical Correspondence, circa 1921-1957
• Subseries 2.2: Chronological Correspondence, circa 1928-1942

This series contains four office diaries from 1942, notebooks, and speeches. Most of the diary entries are written by his secretary. The notebooks contain addresses and various notes; one contains lists of Section of Fine Arts projects and artists, and another contains detailed notes and dated entries about his political work for Philippine independence. Also found in this series are written speeches Edward Bruce gave at public events. Most focus on or promote public art projects and programs. A few address other political issues, such as Philippine idependence. Included is a notebook of various speeches, arranged in its original collation.

The Writings series is arranged into 2 subseries:

• Subseries 3.1: Diaries and Notebooks, circa 1931-1932, 1942
• Subseries 3.2: Speeches, circa 1934-1941

Edward Bruce's financial material is scattered and includes an account book, a cash book, financial records and leases for houses, income tax records, insurance records, and bills for various personal expenditures. Also found are the will and other related estate documents for Isabella Bruce, a relative of Edward Bruce, and a memorandum about the condition of the silver market from a 1933 economic conference. Items are arranged alphabetically by type of records and chronologically within folders.

Printed material documents a wide range of topics including Edward Bruce's career as an artist and as director of the Section of Fine Arts, and other art and government affairs. Included are news clippings and art magazines, brochures from art organizations, and catalogs for exhibitions of Bruce's artwork and others. Also found are published bulletins by the Section of Fine Arts, published speeches from various events on international relations, and other miscellaneous pamphlets, newsletters, and government publications. Materials are arranged alphabetically by type of material and chronologically within each folder.

Four scrapbooks document Edward Bruce's career as a professional artist and as the director of the Section of Fine Arts. The scrapbooks include newspaper and magazine clippings, letters, photographs, exhibition invitations and catalogs, and other miscellaneous printed material. Except for a few duplicate items, most of the documents in the scrapbooks are not found elsewhere in the collection. Scrapbook 2 has been unbound but is arranged in its original collation.

This series includes Edward and Peggy Bruce's personal photographs and photographs of Bruce's artwork. There are many professional portraits of Bruce, two photos of him painting outdoors, photos of Bruce with wife Peggy, and photographs of the Bruces with friends, including Leo Stein and Maurice Sterne. Also found are photographs of Edward Bruce at special events and government affairs, including a photo of him at an art opening with Eleanor Roosevelt. There are many group photos of Bruce with various individuals, including John Dewey, Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Robert La Follette, Carl Milles, and William Zorach. Also included are numerous travel photographs of China, Italy, and Java. There are numerous photographs of their time in Anticoli Carrado, Italy. Two photograph albums contain photographs taken by Edward Bruce and organized by subject, including boats, houses, animals, trees, and other landscape features. Miscellaneous photographs include friends, houses, and unidentified snapshots. Personal photographs are arranged by subject and chronologically within each folder.

Photographs of Artwork include black and white photographs of paintings by Edward Bruce. Almost all of the photographs are undated and are in no specific arrangement. Also found is a photograph album of artwork that has been unbound but is arranged in its original collation.

Researchers should note that the arrangement of the photographs does not match the order of the material on microfilm. However, most of the photographs can be found on reel D83, frames 1212-1535.

Photographs are arranged into 2 subseries:

• Subseries 7.1: Personal Photographs, circa 1902-1943
• Subseries 7.2: Photographs of Artwork, circa 1926-1935