Picture loan society of toronto

Founded by Douglas M. Duncan (1902-1968) in 1936, it was the first gallery in Canada to operate on a system of low-cost commission, making the purchase of art more affordable by renting pictures to prospective clients while at the same time providing affordable exhibition space for artists. Artists on its roster included Carl Schaefer, L.L. Fitzgerald, Harold Town, Paul Emile Borduas, Isabel McLaughlin, and Bertram Brooker (see all in AskART). In particular, Duncan admired the work of artist David Milne, for whom he acted as sole agent. The Society ended with Duncan???s death; however its location and some of its functions were taken over by the Picture Loan Gallery. Sources: The National Gallery of Canada Archives and the Art Gallery of Ontario Archives. Submitted by M.D. Silverbrooke, Art Historian and Collector, West Vancouver, B.C.