Dorothy Handy

Dorothy Handy was an artist and illustrator active during a brief but significant period of American art history, specifically between 1937 and 1939. Handy's verifiable output is associated exclusively with the Index of American Design (IAD), a seminal project established under the New Deal's Federal Art Project (FAP). Her assignments involved creating ten detailed, precise renderings designed to document historical American decorative arts and folk objects.

As an IAD illustrator, Handy's work is characterized by documentary rigor, focusing on the accurate representation of texture, form, and coloration necessary for preserving visual records of unique artifacts. These works, which serve as essential references for cultural historians, include renderings of large-scale folk sculptures and traditional furniture, such as Cigar Store Indian, Tilt Top Table, Utility Chest, and Carousel Panthers. The inclusion of works like Cigar Store Figure - Blackamoor demonstrates her documentation of diverse and often regionally specific American material culture.

Ten documented Index of American Design renderings by Dorothy Handy are held in museum collections, most notably at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Because these records were created for a federal project, much of this material resides in the public domain. Researchers and enthusiasts often seek high-quality prints of the Dorothy Handy prints to study the details of American decorative arts history.