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Wilfrid S. Bronson
writer
- October 24, 1894
- April 23, 1985
- 90 years
About Wilfrid S. Bronson
Wilfrid S. Bronson, 90, American author and artist.
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Full Biography
|Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson (October 24, 1894 – April 23, 1985) was an American natural history artist and a "prolific writer and illustrator of children's books on various aspects of animal life".
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Bronson attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Following his service in the U.S. Army during the first World War, he worked as a mural painter's assistant in several studios in New York City. In the 1930s and 40s he painted murals for the Works Progress Administration.[citation needed] Bronson accompanied several scientific marine expeditions as a staff artist, resulting in the creation of numerous nature books for children. In 1930 he was part of an expedition to the Galapagos to gather specimens for the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. In the 1920s he participated in expeditions led by Harry Payne Bingham to study and bring specimens and illustrations of marine life to the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University, which holds many illustrations Bronson made on shipboard to capture the color and form of marine specimens in the era before color photography.
Books
- Fingerfins: The Tale of a Sargasso Fish, 1930 - "a little book of perfect accuracy and excellent illustrations, ... Every child who can read English should say, "Thank you, Mr. Bronson!" for this delightful story."
- Water People, 1936, Wise Parslow
- Children of the Sea, 1939, An enchanting tale of a dolphin and a boy with Bronson's beautiful illustrations and packed with facts from his knowledge of sea life. 164 pages, Harcourt Brace and Company
- Stooping Hawk and Stranded Whale: Sons of Liberty, 1942 - "This is an exciting story about a people who have been forgotten, but who still live free and untamed as they did four hundred years ago."
- "the Grasshopper Book", 1943, Harcourt, Brace & Co., New York
- Hooker's Holiday, 1944
- Turtles, 1945 - "Oh dear, Wilfred Bronson has done some such nice nature books and this is such a disappointment ... Here's a man who knows what can and should be done and owes it to his market to sustain a higher level of intelligent, scientific presentation."
- Coyotes, 1946 -
- Pinto's Journey 1948, Julian Messner (ISBN 0-86534-557-0) - "Good material both in pictures and story for a unit onIndians or the natural life of New Mexico. Could be used in remedial reading."
- Starlings, 1948 - "This is an engaging book that manages to put across a considerable amount of information about birds, with humor and affection throughout." "Although Starlings are the chief dramatis personae, it is a good introduction to bird life in general ... Bronson's illustrations are teaching materials in themselves and coupled with his readable style, the result is a very satisfactory book."
- Cats, 1950 - "For any household which includes a cat, Wilfred S. Bronson's Cats is indeispensable reading for the whole family. Here is another book which gains my highest recommendation."
- Freedom and Plenty: ours to save, 1953 - "An experienced illustrator and writer of non-fiction for this age group gives a splendidly organized and suggestive tally of conservation in our country."
- Beetles, 1963 - "The present book is of this same high standard, with complete information based on personal observation as well as a familiarity with the work of entomologists and presented in a tone of conversational informality. ... 40 Half-tone drawings by the author will complete a book that is high in quality all the way."
- Dogs: Best Breeds for Young People, 1969 - "Better titled and more clearly organized, it might be the canine Dr. Spock; as is, its common sense is submerged (and for some people may be spoiled by the rather coarse cartoons)."
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfrid_S._Bronson
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 25, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Wilfrid S. Bronson's archived record and the sources above.
1.On what date was Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson born?
- A.April 23, 1894
- B.October 24, 1985
- C.April 23, 1985
- D.October 24, 1894correct
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson was born on October 24, 1894.
Source: biographical introduction
2.In which city was Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson born?
- A.New York City
- B.Chicagocorrect
- C.New Haven
- D.Brooklyn
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson was born in Chicago, Illinois.
Source: early life section
3.At which institution did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson receive his education?
- A.New York School of Fine Arts
- B.Yale University
- C.Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
- D.School of the Art Institute of Chicagocorrect
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Source: education section
4.Following his service in the U.S. Army, what job did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson hold in New York City?
- A.Botanical garden curator
- B.Scientific expedition leader
- C.Mural painter's assistantcorrect
- D.Biology professor
After serving in the U.S. Army during World War I, Bronson worked as a mural painter's assistant in New York City studios.
Source: early career section
5.For which government agency did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson paint murals during the 1930s and 40s?
- A.U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- B.Works Progress Administrationcorrect
- C.Federal Arts Commission
- D.National Park Service
During the 1930s and 40s, Bronson created murals for the Works Progress Administration.
Source: career section
6.In what year did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson pass away?
- A.1945
- B.1994
- C.1985correct
- D.1930
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson died on April 23, 1985.
Source: biographical introduction
7.What type of career was Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson primarily known for?
- A.Journalist and newspaper editor
- B.Classical musician and composer
- C.Natural history artist and authorcorrect
- D.Architect and building designer
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson was an American natural history artist and a writer and illustrator of children's books.
Source: biographical introduction
8.What was the destination of the 1930 scientific expedition that Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson participated in?
- A.The Amazon Basin
- B.The Mediterranean Sea
- C.The Galapagoscorrect
- D.The Arctic Circle
In 1930, Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson joined an expedition to the Galapagos to gather specimens.
Source: expedition section
9.Which institution received specimens and illustrations from the marine expeditions led by Harry Payne Bingham?
- A.Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
- B.Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale Universitycorrect
- C.American Museum of Natural History
- D.School of the Art Institute of Chicago
The marine expeditions led by Harry Payne Bingham provided specimens and illustrations to the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University.
Source: expedition section
10.Why did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson make illustrations on shipboard during expeditions?
- A.To pass the time during long sea voyages
- B.To capture color and form before color photographycorrect
- C.To document scientific findings for government records
- D.To earn extra income for the crew
Bronson made illustrations on shipboard to capture the color and form of marine specimens in the era before color photography.
Source: expedition section
11.Which organization benefited from the expedition Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson took to the Galapagos in 1930?
- A.Yale University
- B.Works Progress Administration
- C.Brooklyn Botanic Gardenscorrect
- D.Art Institute of Chicago
The 1930 Galapagos expedition aimed to gather specimens for the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.
Source: expedition section
12.During which historical conflict did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson serve in the U.S. Army?
- A.The Korean War
- B.World War Icorrect
- C.The Vietnam War
- D.World War II
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson served in the U.S. Army during the first World War.
Source: early career section
13.Who led the marine expeditions in the 1920s that Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson participated in?
- A.The Works Progress Administration
- B.The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
- C.Harry Payne Binghamcorrect
- D.The Art Institute of Chicago
In the 1920s, Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson participated in expeditions led by Harry Payne Bingham.
Source: expedition section
14.What genre of literature did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson write and illustrate?
- A.Poetry collections about naval life
- B.Historical textbooks for college students
- C.Children's books about animal lifecorrect
- D.Science fiction novels for adults
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson was a prolific writer and illustrator of children's books on various aspects of animal life.
Source: biographical introduction
15.What role did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson perform on scientific marine expeditions?
- A.Specimen collector
- B.Marine biologist
- C.Staff artistcorrect
- D.Ship captain
Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson accompanied scientific marine expeditions as a staff artist.
Source: expedition section
16.In what decades did Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson paint murals for the Works Progress Administration?
- A.1910s and 1920s
- B.1950s and 1960s
- C.1920s and 1930s
- D.1930s and 1940scorrect
Bronson painted murals for the Works Progress Administration during the 1930s and 40s.
Source: career section
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