On Thursday, March 19, at 7 p.m., the Morgan-Manning House will host Rozenn Bailleul-LeSuer, Historian of the Western Monroe Historical Society, and Christine Hunt, owner of the White Farm Bed and Breakfast in Sweden, to discuss the career of David Bruce.
A frequently overlooked yet multitalented Brockporter, David Bruce (1833-1903) was a true Renaissance man. He was known in the community for his skills as a painter, artist, and taxidermist. He also left his mark in the scientific community for his contributions in entomology and ornithology.
Born in Perth, Scotland, he displayed a strong affinity for both art and bird collecting at a young age, which led him to first search employment in the procurement of bird plumes and breast feathers for the millinery industry. In 1872, he moved to the United States and settled in Brockport, where he started a business as a painter and grainer with his sons. His talents as an artist came to be well-known in the region. He was hired to decorate churches, hotels, and large homes with mural paintings and stenciling, drawing inspiration from nature in the form of waterscapes, birds, and floral designs. During this program, Hunt will tell us how she rediscovered some of David Bruce’s masterpieces in her home at the White Farm in Sweden.
David Bruce was also a renowned taxidermist, frequently featured in the newspaper for receiving prizes for his compositions. As remarked by his famous pupil, the African Specialist Carl Akeley, “as a recreation, he mounted birds and animals for sportsmen. […] To me, it seemed that he held an ideal life, for he had a successful business and one that gave him enough spare time to indulge his fancies in taxidermy.” In this field, he left his mark by being the first taxidermist to display mounted animals in realistic poses and to enclose them in cases skillfully decorated with the natural habitats of each species. To illustrate Bruce’s approach in displaying local bird life, several display cases owned by the Morgan-Manning House will be showcased during the presentation.
This free program at the Morgan-Manning House, 151 Main Street, Brockport, is open to the public. Donations are welcome. Refreshments will be served following the program.
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