Alvin Shiren

Alvin Shiren was an artist active primarily during the mid-1930s, working between 1935 and 1939. Their professional output is associated with the Index of American Design, a monumental visual survey project created under the Federal Art Project to document and preserve American decorative arts and material culture.

Shiren’s work focused exclusively on creating detailed renderings of historical American objects. Fifteen documented artworks attributed to the artist are preserved in institutional collections, including the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. These works illustrate a range of subjects from domestic glassware to functional apparel, capturing the detail necessary for high-quality prints and archival research.

Notable examples of the documented works include renderings of delicate glass objects, such as Blown Glass and Blown Glass - Pitcher, alongside studies of textiles and costume, exemplified by Man's Topcoat and Smoking Cap. As part of a federal initiative, many of these museum-quality records are available as downloadable artwork, providing royalty-free access to researchers studying early American design.