Researchers Search for Robert S. Duncanson’s Life Story

30 June 2026
By Kobi Morgan, Research Fellow

Much biographical information known about Robert S. Duncanson is unknown. Researchers utilize historic newspaper clippings to fill in the gaps of knowledge and build a timeline of his existence in the 19th century as a Black American artist. Studying online newspaper databases, we can track his work history, public reception of his race, and the contextualization of his art with concurrent events like the American Civil War.

 

Reading and interpreting public perception of 19th century artist Robert S. Duncanson (1821–1872) through newspapers of his time narrativizes his life. Newspapers are the only documentation researchers have for most years of his life, and their reportage and art criticism illustrate the trials and tribulations he experienced as a Black American artist living through the Civil War era. While some newspaper clippings are more useful than others, I analyze any reference to Duncanson with scrutiny and put into context surrounding known life details.  

With the expansion of digital newspaper databases and online ancestry, a whole new world of research has opened. Previously, researchers had to go to the library and look up newspapers on microfilm, but now you can search for massive amounts of articles in seconds remotely. This makes my job as a Research Fellow a lot easier. By piecing together first-hand accounts and opinions of Duncanson within historical newspapers, I can compile the timeline of his life and experience. 

Duncanson first appeared in the news in spring 1838. Advertised was his shared business with a glazier—or a tradesperson specializing in window installation—named John Gamblin in Monroe, Michigan. Duncanson was only 17 when he began to pursue painting as a career, though this was likely house, sign, and/or ornamental painting.

References to Duncanson in various newspapers show that he was active in Detroit and Cincinnati between 1838–1853. During this time, he exhibited at local galleries, participated in artist unions, and earned commissions. In his early career, Duncanson painted portraits of his patrons as well as landscapes and still lifes. 

Between 1850–1852, Duncanson created the suite of eight murals in the foyer of Nicholas Longworth’s mansion, known then as Belmont and now known as the Taft Museum of Art. Experts attributed these paintings to Duncanson based on stylistic analysis, though we have yet to find primary sources documenting this. The ongoing search for any acknowledgement of the murals, though fruitless, has made me pay attention to what history has omitted: Duncanson’s credit. Why? 

Robert S. Duncanson, The Garden of Eden, 1852, oil on canvas, 40 11/16 x 56 3/8 x 4 1/8 in., Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Louis Moore Bacon, 2014.299 

In 1852, Duncanson painted The Garden of Eden as an adaptation of John Milton’s (1608–1674) epic poem Paradise Lost. Duncanson’s skill of interpreting a literary source and capturing it in painting would become a trademark of his career. The Garden of Eden was publicly well received and was later gifted on Duncanson’s behalf to the Pittsburgh abolitionist the Reverend Charles Avery in a public ceremony.  Soon after, newspapers began to mention Duncanson’s race, emphasizing his Black identity due to the public association with a known abolitionist. We now know from references in other historical documents that Duncanson was the son of formerly enslaved Virginians. Living in the pre-American Civil War era would have complicated this identity. 

"A Colored Artist,"  Morning Daily True Democrat  (Cleveland, OH),  March 28, 1853  

In 1853, a Cleveland artist recounted a previous visit to Duncanson’s studio in Cincinnati. The artist, “J.F.H.,” viewed The Garden of Eden while it was in progress. Noting the recent mentions of Duncanson’s race in the newspapers, J.F.H. “spent an hour with Mr. Duncanson... but never suspected, from his complexion, conversation, or any other circumstance, that he was a colored man.” Though Duncanson may have been white-passing, meaning a person of color perceived as white, dozens of newspapers during his time labeled him as a man of color in various offensive ways such as “bright octoroon” and “dusky.” It was clear to his contemporaries that his race was Black, which some, including J. F. H. attempted to discredit: “This worthy artist and gentleman, can, at least, have so little of the despised color and blood, as to have nothing to fear from this cause.” These sentiments make it difficult to be an unbiased researcher. Duncanson could have received the benefits and privileges of being visually white, but legally and culturally, Duncanson was a Black man. He would have been affected by codified racism and systemic oppression, especially leading up to the American Civil War.  

Duncanson’s later painting Land of the Lotus Eaters debuted in Cincinnati in May 1861, a pivotal time in his career and American history. Upon its initial exhibition, it was immediately apparent how popular it would become; dozens of local advertisements and reviews raved about the new painting on display. What wasn’t to like? Duncanson had adapted a scene from Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poem, “The Lotos-eaters,” drawing inspiration from the exotic and mystical tale from Greek mythology.  Newspapers urged audiences to see the painting before it shipped to Europe, indicating that Duncanson was likely planning a European tour of the painting. This tour, however, was postponed. 

The same week Land of the Lotus Eaters was debuted, Cincinnati newspapers also printed headlines about “The War.” One critic wrote of the painting and the war together:

Such work is destined to outlive all the storms with which a slave-breeding oligarchy can darken our political horizon, and we trust our citizens will forget all the machinations of factious demagogues long enough to contemplate one of the grandest scenes ever put on American canvas.
“Land of the Lotus Eaters,” Cincinnati Daily Gazette, June 10, 1861

It’s no wonder why Duncanson traveled between Canada and Cincinnati before settling in Montreal in 1864. Though he never explicitly stated so, researchers assume that his self-exile during the height of the American Civil War was a strategic safety plan. The articles that I’ve found that disrespect his racial identity confirm this interpretation. Following this time in Canada, Duncanson was finally able to take his planned European trip in 1865, touring Scotland, Ireland, and England into 1867. For much of the rest of his life, Duncanson continued his practice as a landscape artist with an emphasis on narrative paintings. 

In December 1872, newspapers reported the death of the beloved Cincinnati artist at the Michigan Retreat Insane Asylum. In his final days, Duncanson was allegedly manic and believed he was aided by spirits:  

Mr. Duncanson’s insanity was not of very recent development. Long since he had acquired the idea that in all his artistic efforts he was aided by the spirit of one of the great masters—Michael Angelo, we believe. 
“The Artist Duncanson Dead,” Cincinnati Commercial, December 24, 1872  

The mystery of Duncanson is what encourages me to continue to research his life. So little is known about his narrative; so little is known about his voice. How would he describe himself? What was everyday life like for Duncanson? Did his friends give him nicknames? Actually, that one we know. In personal letters between his inner circle, Duncanson’s friends informally referred to him as “Dunk.” He even had a habit of saying “dog-gone.” 

By asking questions, researchers can help reveal more information about an underrepresented artist, such as Duncanson. And sometimes, questions are just as meaningful as conclusions. With so much unknown about Duncanson, there are developments every day as researchers find new information. Newspaper research is just a part of that, but an endeavor that I am glad to be a part of. 


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