Marcus Moran

Marcus Moran was active in 1936, contributing significantly to the documentation efforts surrounding the Index of American Design. This nationwide project aimed to create a detailed graphical survey of historic American decorative and functional arts.

The works attributed to Moran consist of detailed documentation of objects spanning various materials and utilities. Eight specific index entries are represented in museum collections, confirming the value of this historical survey. The documented items include specific studies of domestic objects such as a Candlestick, a Chair, a Compote, an Amethyst Glass Oil Lamp, and a Blue-Green Vase. These precise illustrations served as essential records of American material culture during the mid-20th century.

Moran’s documentation is preserved today in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work is considered museum-quality documentation crucial for the study of industrial and functional design history. Today, Marcus Moran prints and original documents are often available as downloadable artwork through public access repositories, ensuring continued scholarship into early American design.