Jessie M Benge

Jessie M Benge was active during a brief but historically significant period, producing documentary artwork and designs between 1935 and 1936. Benge is primarily known for contributions to the Index of American Design (IAD), a vast federal arts initiative focused on documenting American decorative and folk arts.

Fifteen works attributed to the artist are indexed within museum collections, comprising detailed illustrations and renderings of historical objects. These documentations frequently focus on textiles and apparel design. Specific examples of Benge’s represented work include the renderings Cap, Coat, Court Train, and two separate illustrations titled Dress.

These original documentation records are preserved by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which holds the complete IAD archive. The detailed nature of these records ensures they serve as museum-quality resources for historians and designers. Due to their age and governmental context, these historical documentations often fall into the public domain, making them available as high-quality prints for study and exhibition.