Peter Connin

Peter Connin was an artist active during the mid-to-late 1930s, documenting American decorative arts and material culture. Connin's documented professional activity spans the short, focused period of 1935 to 1940. He is primarily known for his contribution to the comprehensive federal arts effort known as the "index of american designs," a project intended to create a visual record of historical American decorative and utilitarian objects.

Eight of Connin’s detailed representations relating to this index are currently held in institutional collections, confirming the historical importance of his output. These works are preserved in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, establishing them as museum-quality records of American design.

Connin’s surviving designs focus on accurate, illustrative renderings of distinct objects. Specific works represented in the collection include Parasol, Scales, Silk Bonnet, Brooch, and Maple Vase. These images provide scholars with valuable visual documentation. Reproductions of Peter Connin prints are often utilized for historical research today, and due to the age of the original renderings, much of this content resides in the public domain, ensuring wide accessibility.