Beatrice DeKalb

Beatrice DeKalb was an artist active within the American federal arts initiatives, primarily documented during the short period spanning 1938 to 1941. Her verifiable output is exclusively associated with the Index of American Design (IAD), a major project dedicated to recording the history of American decorative arts, crafts, and folk objects.

DeKalb’s artistic methodology centered on meticulous documentation, creating detailed renderings intended to preserve the visual record of utilitarian objects. Her work prioritized accuracy and precision, resulting in documentation considered of museum-quality for historical reference.

Six works by DeKalb are represented in collections, including studies of nautical and vernacular design. Notable pieces held include the detailed illustrations Woodcarving from Ship's Bow, the record of the Black Horse Weather Vane, and renderings such as Tradesman's Sign, Trailboard, and Squirrel. This documentation corpus is preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. As historical federal documents, many of these IAD records now reside in the public domain, making downloadable artwork files available for researchers and students seeking high-quality prints of American design history.