Matthew Mangiacotti

Matthew Mangiacotti was an artist active during a concentrated period in the mid-1930s, documenting American decorative arts between 1935 and 1937. His output aligns closely with the goals of the New Deal-era federal art projects, specifically contributing to the Index of American Design (IAD). This ambitious national initiative focused on creating comprehensive visual documentation of historical domestic and industrial objects, emphasizing accurate, detailed rendering over personal artistic interpretation.

Mangiacotti’s specialization lay in the objective illustration of material culture. Works represented in collections include detailed renderings of early American items such as a Clock, a Pewter Spoon, and a Silver Tankard. Further works documenting industrial design include two specific renderings of a Drawer Pull. In total, fifteen index of American designs works by Mangiacotti are represented in institutional holdings.

The quality and historical significance of this documentary work have established its credibility in American art history. Mangiacotti’s output is held in major institutional archives, including the National Gallery of Art. These precise, museum-quality renderings are frequently studied by historians and designers. Today, these historical documents often reside in the public domain and are available as downloadable artwork, offering high-quality prints essential for studying 20th-century documentation projects.