Arthur P. Reynolds

Arthur P. Reynolds was an American illustrator whose documented artistic activity spans the years 1938 to 1940. Their work is associated directly with the Index of American Design, a significant federal arts initiative established during the Great Depression to visually record American material culture. Reynolds specialized in creating technical renderings and detailed documentation of historical and vernacular artifacts.

The known output of Arthur P. Reynolds consists of approximately 15 designs represented in major museum collections. These works function as critical records of historical craft and functional objects, providing a high-quality visual archive rather than traditional fine art canvases. Representative documented pieces include illustrations of tools and domestic items such as Spur, Digging Tool, and the furniture rendering Bed, Four Poster, alongside regional documentation like the Spanish Southwest Saddle.

All documented examples of Reynolds’s work for the Index of American Design are preserved in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. The historical and documentary precision of these pieces ensures they are regarded as museum-quality records of American heritage. As part of the federal art project legacy, these designs are often available as downloadable artwork through the public domain, allowing researchers and collectors access to historical high-quality prints.