Florian Rokita

Florian Rokita was professionally active between 1935 and 1937, a period defined by their contribution to the extensive federal arts initiative known as the Index of American Design (IAD). This project, usually operating under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), focused on documenting pre-1900 American decorative and folk arts, ensuring the preservation of visual records of historically significant material culture.

Rokita’s output is concentrated within this documentation effort, confirming their skill in rendering detailed object studies. Fifteen of these index designs are represented in major museum collections. The subjects range broadly across functional and handcrafted objects, including documented renderings for a Glass Bowl, Bag, and Doll, alongside distinct folk art depictions such as Old Nick, the Devil, and the technical rendering of a Pierced Iron Lantern.

The legacy of this short but intensive period is secured by the inclusion of Rokita’s work in the National Gallery of Art collection. Since these federally commissioned documentation projects are frequently in the public domain, high-quality prints and records created by Rokita are widely accessible. These detailed Florian Rokita prints provide museum-quality documentation critical to the study of early American design history.