Marie Mitchell

Marie Mitchell was an American artist documented during a brief but intensive period between 1935 and 1936. Her output is dedicated almost entirely to the highly technical work required for the Index of American Design (IAD), a major New Deal initiative under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This project focused on creating accurate visual documentation of historical American decorative and folk arts.

Mitchell’s renderings reflect the IAD’s mission to catalog diverse material culture, emphasizing detailed drawing and precise color application necessary for museum-quality documentation. Fifteen works attributed to the artist are represented in institutional collections. Specific pieces documenting historical artifacts include the Carpet Bag, Brooch, Cape, Chintz, and Dolman.

The primary repository for Marie Mitchell’s prints and original designs is the National Gallery of Art, which holds the extensive Index of American Design archive. As records produced through a U.S. government project, many of these detailed renderings are today in the public domain, ensuring their continued availability as a resource for historians and researchers seeking downloadable artwork and high-quality prints of historical American objects.