Person Record

Metadata

Name

Milne, David Brown

Born

Jan. 8, 1882

Birthplace

Saugeen Township, Ontario

Deceased

1953

Deceased

Bancroft

Father

William Milne

Mother

Mary Divortay

Spouse

May (Patsy) Hegarty (m 1912);

Relationships

David Milne had nine older siblings.

Education

David began attending school at the age of 10 at U.S.S. No. 7 Saugeen and Arran (known as the Gowanlock School). His family soon thereafter moved to Paisley, Ontario, where he continued to attend public school. He boarded in Walkerton to attend Senior High School there. In 1900, he took an American art course by correspondence. In 1903, he attended a commercial art school in New York and then enrolled for two years at the Art Students League.

Occupation

David B. Milne was in born in Saugeen Township on lot 19, concession 10, near Burgoyne, Bruce County, Ontario in 1882. He stayed at home with his mother until he was nearly ten years old before starting public school, first in Saugeen Township, and soon after in Paisley, Bruce County, Ontario.

As a young person, Milne taught Sunday School and was a leader of the Young People's Association at the Paisley Presbyterian Church. He completed senior High School in Walkerton, Ontario. In 1899, he enrolled in the teacher's course at the Model School at Walkerton. In January 1900 he began teaching at U.S.S. No. 7 Elderslie and Saugeen, about five km north of Paisley. He continued working there for the next 3.5 years, during which time he began creating illustrations for some periodicals. By July 1903, he had decided to leave his teaching position and begin a course in art in New York.

While in New York City, he studied art, painted and took jobs in sign painting, magazine and postcard illustration. In 1913, five of his paintings were shown in the Armoury Exhibition alongside artists including Picasso, Duchamp, Manet and Monet.

When the First World War broke out, he returned to Canada to enlist. He served overseas and was commissioned in 1918 and 1919 to record the aftermath of the war through his art. Over 108 paintings depicting the devastation of the battle sites are housed at the National Art Gallery of Canada. Milne returned to the United States for a brief time after the war.

He later returned to Canada where he stayed until his death in 1953 at the age of 71. Milne painted in the seclusion of the wild for the last years of his life.

Places

Lot 19, Concession 10, Saugeen Townshp
315 Orchard Street, Paisley

Sources

Sources:

Elderslie Historical Society, "The History of Elderslie Township, 1851-1977", 1977. Print

Saugeen History Hunters. "Roots and Branches of Saugeen, 1854-1984: a history of Saugeen Township." [Port Elgin, Ont.]: Saugeen History Hunters, 1984. p. 326.

Silcox, David P. "Painting Place: The Life and Works of David B. Milne.: Toronto: Toronto University Press, 1996. Print.