Joseph Lubrano

Joseph Lubrano was an artist active during the period 1935 to 1941, specializing in detailed renderings for the Index of American Design. This federal initiative sought to create a comprehensive visual record of historical American decorative arts, spanning folk crafts and industrial design.

Lubrano’s contribution to the Index involved producing detailed, museum-quality illustrations of domestic objects and textiles. Fifteen such designs attributed to him are preserved in major museum collections, establishing his role as a meticulous documentarian of material culture.

His work is represented in the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. The recorded studies emphasize the minute replication of fabric patterns and construction, capturing the visual characteristics of early American textiles. Examples of the documented objects include the Quilt: Reverse Side, Woman's Pocket, and the textile study Yellow Glazed Chintz. Lubrano also documented significant historical artifacts, such as the design for the Printed Textile - Historical George Washington. These high-quality prints and studies offer valuable insight into the history of American domestic design.