William Antrim

William Antrim was an artist primarily documented for his contributions to the Index of American Designs (IAD), a Federal Art Project established under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). His recorded activity spanned a brief but significant period between 1935 and 1936.

The IAD project focused on creating accurate, detailed renderings of American decorative arts, folk art, and historical objects. Antrim contributed fifteen documented illustrations to this index, specializing in the documentation of functional and domestic metalwork and ceramics. Among the works represented in museum collections are renderings of items such as the Pa. German Plate, Pie Plate, and multiple studies of a Door Knocker.

Antrim’s technical illustrations are critical historical records of American craft traditions. These high-quality prints are preserved in institutional archives, establishing their museum-quality importance. Today, his surviving contributions to the index are held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Due to their status as WPA documentation, many William Antrim prints are available in the public domain, often utilized for scholarly research and accessible as downloadable artwork.