Mattie P. Goodman

Mattie P. Goodman was an American artist and documentarian active primarily between 1935 and 1941. Goodman’s output is closely associated with the Index of American Design, a monumental component of the Federal Art Project (FAP) established during the Great Depression to create a comprehensive visual survey of American decorative arts and material culture. Goodman contributed documentation for seven items to the Index, demonstrating a skill for meticulous visual record-keeping over traditional fine art creation.

The works represented in museum collections consist primarily of highly detailed, measured drawings and renderings of historical American furniture. These include a Side Chair, a Table with Deep Drawer, a Trundle Bed, and the documentation of a Duncan Phyfe Sewing Cabinet. These drawings serve as important visual records, preserving the designs of objects often originating in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Several of Goodman's documentary works are preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, establishing their historical significance. As foundational documents commissioned by the United States government, much of this material is available in the public domain. Researchers and historians often utilize the careful records and Mattie P. Goodman prints for academic study, frequently seeking high-quality prints of the documented decorative items for reference.