Ruth Bialostosky

Ruth Bialostosky was a documentarian and artist active during the Great Depression, primarily between 1930 and 1937. Her career was defined by her contribution to the Index of American Designs, a federal initiative dedicated to creating exhaustive documentation of American decorative and folk arts. Bialostosky’s output focused on precise, detailed illustrations of functional and historical domestic objects.

Fifteen of Bialostosky’s works created for the Index are represented in museum collections, confirming her role in this seminal project. Her documented subjects include a variety of 18th and 19th-century furnishings and household items, such as a Clock, a Desk, and a Drop Leaf Table. She also rendered specialized decorative pieces, including an Earthenware, Jelly Mold and a Pa. German Bowl. These high-quality prints are preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art.

As official records produced through federal patronage, many examples of Ruth Bialostosky prints are now available in the public domain. This accessibility allows for wide distribution of the historical documentation, making the downloadable artwork a valuable resource for design and craft historians.