Robert Pohle

Robert Pohle was active in American art documentation during a focused period from 1935 through 1938. His output is identified primarily with the Index of American Designs project, which was responsible for meticulously recording American decorative arts, folk objects, and architectural elements from the colonial era through the nineteenth century.

Pohle’s contributions include fifteen documented studies preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art. These renderings provided critical visual records of historical functional items. Specific works in the database illustrating the breadth of his documentation include a rendering of a "Sheaf of Wheat" Shop Sign, an Architectural Ornament (Eagle), a Cake Board, and studies of unique carvings such as a Cigar Store Figure and a Cigar Store Indian.

As historical records held by the National Gallery of Art, these studies established the permanent record of regional American craftsmanship. Today, Robert Pohle prints derived from these detailed records are available as high-quality prints through various public domain collections, ensuring continued access to these important visual documents.