Robert Gilson

Robert Gilson was an artist active between 1935 and 1939, whose primary contribution lies in the documentation produced for the Index of American Design (IAD). Operating under the Federal Art Project, the IAD focused on creating precise, museum-quality visual records of historic American decorative arts, folk objects, and material culture prior to 1900.

Gilson’s active period was highly focused, coinciding directly with the Great Depression-era governmental efforts to preserve national craft heritage. He contributed eleven entries to the IAD, documenting a diverse range of functional and historical items. These renderings are known for their technical accuracy and attention to detail, preserving designs that might otherwise have been lost.

Specific works represented in museum collections include detailed documentation of domestic furnishings, such as the Bedstead and the Rocking Chair (Square Back), as well as utilitarian and decorative elements like Brick Sidewalk Tiles and a historic Fireman's Shirt. Gilson also documented specialized folk items, including the children's toy, "Humpty Dumpty" Jumping Jack. Today, these historical documents, often referenced as Robert Gilson prints, are preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, where they are frequently consulted by researchers and reproduced as high-quality prints.