W.J. Goodacre

W.J. Goodacre was an artist or documentarian active primarily during the mid-1930s, with documented professional activity spanning the period from 1935 to 1939. Their surviving output consists of six studies related to the Index of American Design, a governmental project focused on documenting the history and details of American decorative and folk art.

Goodacre’s documented works emphasize accurate representation of historical artifacts and architectural elements. This focus is evidenced by subjects ranging from mission architecture to domestic ornamentation. Notable studies held in museum collections include the Holy Water Font, Santa Barbara and the detailed rendering Fragment from Original Architrave of Mission Church Facade. The artist also documented specific objects and decorative motifs, such as two distinct renderings titled Spur and the pattern study Wall Painting - Pineapple Motif.

All six documented works by W.J. Goodacre are represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Art. The precision required for the Index of American Design ensured that these documents are of museum-quality. These studies provide valuable source material for research into early American material culture. Today, many W.J. Goodacre prints and designs have entered the public domain, sometimes becoming available as high-quality prints for scholarly use.