Dorothy M. Gerhard

Dorothy M. Gerhard was an American artist documented as active between 1935 and 1940. Gerhard’s work is primarily associated with the Index of American Design, a significant federal arts initiative focused on documenting decorative arts, folk objects, and utilitarian crafts across the United States. Six works related to this initiative are attributed to Gerhard.

Gerhard specialized in the detailed rendering of historical textiles and apparel. The National Gallery of Art holds five documented works by the artist, providing a focused view of period costume elements. These documented pieces include three distinct studies titled Bonnet, along with renderings of a Small Cravat and Stockings.

The historical nature of these documents means that many of these specialized Dorothy M. Gerhard prints are now considered public domain resources, offering museum-quality records of American material culture. The artist’s output serves as an important visual contribution to the preservation and study of early to mid-20th century American artifact documentation.