Herman Schulze

Herman Schulze is known primarily for his contributions to the Index of American Design, documenting historical decorative arts and functional objects. His professional activity is recorded around 1941, the period during which the federal art project was operational in the United States.

Schulze’s work involves precise, detailed renderings of early American material culture. Eight documented designs by Schulze are held in museum collections, reflecting objects intended for daily use and folk craftsmanship rather than fine art painting. These items include the Cherry Pitter, Chopping Knife, and Match Safe. Two separate instances of the design Penny Bank are also represented.

The body of work attributed to Herman Schulze is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Due to the nature of the Index of American Design, these records are invaluable resources for cultural and historical studies. The high-quality prints derived from these archival drawings ensure that detailed renderings of American craft are widely accessible. As works commissioned by the federal government, many of these images are in the public domain, allowing institutions to provide downloadable artwork and Herman Schulze prints for educational and research purposes.