Dorothy Dwin

Dorothy Dwin was an artist active in the United States during the late 1930s, documented primarily for her work undertaken between 1935 and 1940. Dwin is known specifically as a contributor to the Index of American Design (IAD), a Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative dedicated to documenting the history of American decorative and folk arts. Fifteen of her designs were cataloged through this expansive federal arts project.

Dwin’s documented output centers on the precise rendering of decorative and functional objects, particularly designs related to silverware and jewelry. Works represented in museum collections include sketches or documentation of metalwork objects such as a Brooch, Cuff Links, Silver Caster, Silver Pitcher, and Silver Beaker. Her role involved creating highly detailed, museum-quality illustrations to ensure the permanent preservation of early American material culture.

The collection of works associated with Dorothy Dwin, alongside thousands of other IAD designs, is now held in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Art. The historical and artistic accuracy preserved in these records provides valuable public documentation. Today, these designs are widely accessible for research, with many items falling into the public domain and available as high-quality prints.