Morton C. Bradley, Jr. (who affectionately went by Bob) (1912-2004) was an American artist and sculptor born in Arlington, Massachusetts. Several members of his family (mother and grandmother specifically) grew up in the Wylie House in Bloomington, Indiana and he grew up hearing stories about the homestead and city of Bloomington.
Some background on the Wiley House:
Andrew Wylie, Indiana University’s first president built the home in 1835 and lived there with his family until his passing in 1851. Andrew Wylie’s cousin Theophilus Wiley and his family then occupied the house some years later (Theophilus was the great-grandfather of Morton C. Bradley, Jr.). The Wylie House is currently a historic house museum operated and administered by IU Libraries and is considered a public heritage site. The home is furnished as it is imagined to have looked when the Wylies lived there in the 1800s. More information on the Wiley House can be found here: https://bradleycenter.omeka.net/about.
Morton C. Bradley Jr. graduated from Harvard University with a fine arts degree in 1933, where he focused primarily on metal and mixed media mathematical sculptures, color theory, as well as the relationship between form and color. It might be significant to note that Morton C. Bradley, Sr. studied mathematics at Indiana University and this might have influenced his son’s works (https://archives.iu.edu/catalog/VAC0944). His sculptures can be found in numerous locations around IU’s campus (the O’Neill School has 7 of these items suspended in the atrium, in the original part of the building). He was an art educator and also worked as the head conservator at Harvard’s Fogg Art Museum during the 1940-50s.
Bradley spent most of his life in Massachusetts and, nearing the latter part of his life, he bequeathed his entire estate to Indiana University in honor of the Wylies’ foundational support of the university. Innumerable items, including glassware, documents and texts, furniture, textiles, etc. were sent to the Wylie House after being housed in the Arlington, Massachusetts home for over 90 years. Despite being educated and living in Massachusetts for so long, Bradley still identified as a Hoosier (due to his family connection to the university).
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