Edward Bright Bruce (April 13, 1879 – January 26, 1943) was an American lawyer turned painter and arts administrator, whose career bridged business, art-making, and public service. He was born in Dover Plains, New York, the son of a Baptist minister. Bruce began painting at about age 14, but initially pursued a more conventional career path. He graduated from Columbia University School of Law in 1904 with high honors and practiced law in New York City before moving to Manila, Philippines, where he worked for a law firm and later entered business ventures. He became involved in banking and trade in East Asia as president of the Pacific Development Corporation. During this period, he developed a deep appreciation for traditional Chinese art, which would later influence his own painting style. In the early 1920s, Bruce left his business career to study art in Italy with the painter and sculptor Maurice Sterne. He spent about six years abroad, painting landscapes and exhibiting his work in both Europe and the United States. Upon returning to the U.S., he settled in California and focused on painting, producing landscapes noted for their formal elegance and simplified, balanced structure. When the Great Depression made it difficult for artists to earn a living, Bruce turned to public service. In 1933, he was appointed to direct the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), the first federal program to support artists. The following year, he became head of the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later known as the Section of Fine Arts, which commissioned murals and sculptures for public buildings across the country. Under his leadership, thousands of artists found employment, and the programs left a lasting legacy of public art in the United States. Bruce was elected as an Associate Member of the National Academy of Design and, in 1940, was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, where he served until his death. He died in Hollywood, Florida, on January 26, 1943. Today, his paintings are held in several major collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Phillips Collection. Edward Bruce is remembered both for his refined landscape paintings and for his significant contributions to the development of public art programs in America.