Robert Morton Nance [also known as Robert M. Nance] was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1873. Both his parents were Cornish and he spent much of his childhood in Cornwall. He attended Cardiff School of Art, and, from 1893 to 1895, at the Herkomer Art School in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He also studied art in France in the early 1900s, and subsequently worked as a painter, illustrator, muralist and ship modeller.
A painted mural panel by Nance is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1910 (p.98); a design for a mural panel by him is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1912 (p.82); 'A Dutch East Indiaman of 1600' and 'Before the Gale', two designs for mural panels by him are illustrated in 'The Studio yearbook of Decorative Art' 1913 (p.84); a design for 'The Crane, Fifteenth Century Flanders', a mural panel by him is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1914 (p.51); a design for a mural panel featuring a tall ship with fortifications behind by him is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1915 (p.137); 'The Anchor's Weighed', a design for a mural panel, by him is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1916 (p.61); a photograph of a hanging model of a 16th-century French ship, designed and executed by him is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1917 (p.91); a design for a mural panel depicting a sailing ship by him is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Decorative Art' 1918 (p.58); and a photograph of a model of 'The Mayflower designed by him and executed by R. Patterson of Lasswade is illustrated in 'The Studio Yearbook of Applied Art' 1921 (p.105).
Nance exhibited once at the Royal Academy in London in 1895. He also exhibited at the New Gallery in London in 1903, 1904 and 1905, and at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. In 1927 he was a founder of the St Ives Arts Club with whom he sometimes exhibited and was its President in 1932. He was also a member of the South Wales Art Society from 1890 to 1910. He exhibited with them in 1899.
His address was given as c/o Mrs Young, Bourne Hall Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire in 1895 and 1896; and 23 Westbourne Road, Penarth, South Wales in 1897 and 1906. In 1906 he moved to Nancledra, near Penzance, Cornwall. Eight years later, in 1914, he settled at Carbis Bay, near St. Ives, Cornwall, where he lived until his death.
Nance had a lifelong fascination with ships which he constantly painted and drew. He also made numerous detailed models of ships.
Following his move back to Cornwall he devoted much of his time to promoting the language and culture of the county through a series of books, pamphlets and article. In 1920, together with Henry Jenner (1848-1934), Nance founded the Old Cornwall Society in St. Ives, which in 1924 joined the Federation of Old Cornwall Societies (FOCS). In 1925 the FOCS began publishing the journal 'Old Cornwall', with Nance as its first editor. In 1934 Nance succeeded Jenner as the Grand Bard of Cornwall. In addition to his writings on Cornwall, Nance was also the author of 'Sailing Ship Models' (London: Halton & Truscott Ltd., 1924) and 'The pottery & Porcelain of Swansea & Nantgarw' (London: B.T. Batsford, 1942).
Nance died in Hayle, Cornwall on 15 May 1959. His address at the time of his death was Chylason, Carbis Bay, St. Ives, Cornwall.