Roberta Elvis

Roberta Elvis was an artist active between 1935 and 1936, known primarily for their detailed documentation of American material culture and decorative arts. Their brief, concentrated period of activity corresponds with major federal efforts to catalog American design history.

Elvis is specifically associated with the "15 index of american designs," a body of work that provides graphic records of historical and vernacular objects. Fifteen such documents are represented in major collections, establishing the museum-quality importance of their contributions to art documentation.

The works held in institutional archives depict functional objects and textiles, highlighting historical craftsmanship. Notable examples of the items documented by Elvis include the Spindle Settee Chest, Apron, and the Bag. They also documented specific artifacts related to the Bishop Hill community, such as Bishop Hill: Table and Bishop Hill: Wooden Spoon.

These valuable records of early American craftsmanship are preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art. As high-quality prints of this historical documentation, many of the images by Roberta Elvis are now available as public domain resources.