Douglas Moerdyke Duncan

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

Early life Duncan was born in 1902 to Fannie Elizabeth Moerdyke and Smith Frederick Duncan. He grew up in the Forest Hill of Toronto, Ontario. After attending school in his native city, he left for Paris in 1925 and trained as a bookbinder.

Career After completing his education in Toronto and Paris, Duncan managed a bookbinding studio in Toronto. In 1936, he became a founding member of the experimental Picture Loan Society, which offered artworks for rental by the month and sponsored numerous small exhibitions every year. It focused exclusively on living Canadian artists.

Duncan particularly admired the work of David Milne, who he sought out from the Muskoka wilderness, eventually becoming his agent in 1938.