Bruno Ertz

Bruno Ertz was an American artist born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. His love for the arts was sparked at the age of thirteen when he received a watercolor set as a Christmas gift. Passionate about his pursuits, he abandoned working in factories and shipyards at the age of fifteen in order to focus on painting. At one point, Ertz sent a few of his miniature watercolors to F. H. Crittenden at the Smithsonian Institute, who later replied "I have carefully examined your work and have shown it to members of the divisional force. We all think the paintings the finest of their sort that have ever been produced in this country." During the Great Depression, he worked for the Federal Art Project at the Milwaukee Public Museum.