BERCKMANNS, Bruce

The subject (1901-1968) was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Gustav Bruce Berckmans, who lived on West Seventy-second Street. His parents lived at 43 West 72^nd Street, New York; they were friends of George J. Gould. His father was a director of Tiffany & Co. and died in London in July 1902 from typhoid at the age of about 41 (New York Times, 10 July 1902).  Mrs Berckmans travelled back with the body whilst ill also with typhoid, but survived, and her husband’s funeral was at the Church of the Transfiguration on East 29^th Street on 29 September 1902 (New York Times, same day).

The sitter married firstly Hildegarde Aldrich Luedke on December 27, 1923 (she died June 1961), and secondly Mary Elizabeth Chamberlain on 21 February, 1962. By his first wife he had at least two children, Nancy (Mrs. Matthew Krystl) and Bruce, Jr., who joined the United States Marine Corps., and married Miss Tracy H. Redfield on June 28, 1953. He later became an industrialist. He lived in Detroit, but he is buried in Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, New York.

Painted in 1903/1904. Painted in fashionable ermine, possibly a studio prop belonging to the artist, as used in full length portrait of SEILERN, Count Antoine, painted a few years later. A large portrait of a boy called ‘Master B’ was exhibited by the artist in February 1906 at the 2^nd Annual Spring Exhibition at the JAMES T. GIBBES MEMORIAL MUSEUM ART GALLERY, Charleston, South Carolina, according to American Art News, Vol. 4, No. 21, March 3, 1906, p. 6, which opened on Monday, 19^th  February 1906.  This may have been this portrait.