Reimagining the Index of American Design

Steven Nelson, Dean
Meseret Oldjira, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Matthew J. Westerby, Digital Research Officer
Miles Kenyan Stewart, Howard University Undergraduate Intern

In collaboration with the National Gallery’s departments of digital experience, digital solutions, modern prints and drawings, and archives, as well as other colleagues, this project catalyzes research on the Index of American Design (IAD). From 1935 to 1942, as part of the Works Progress Administration, the US government commissioned over 18,000 watercolor paintings, and thousands of photographs, documenting works of folk, decorative, and industrial arts created in the United States. Today, the IAD opens opportunities to explore the unique history of American design and invites reflections on topics of national, regional, and local identity. The Center’s digital project will engage the imagination of National Gallery audiences, integrate perspectives outside of academic art worlds into research and interpretation, and strengthen the National Gallery’s impact as a national museum in service to communities across the country.

The History of the Accademia di San Luca, c. 1590–1635

Peter M. Lukehart, Associate Dean
Valeria Federici, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Matthew J. Westerby, Digital Research Officer

The History of the Accademia di San Luca, c. 1590–1635: Documents from the Archivio di Stato di Roma publishes and examines archival documents and other research materials concerning one of the first artists’ academies in Europe. These resources document the breadth of the Accademia di San Luca’s activities, drawing from the proceedings of meetings, financial and legal transactions, property rentals, and other records. Recent additions to the site present annotated, historical maps and guidebooks that situate the academy’s various edifices within the ever-changing urban fabric of Rome.

The Arts in Mental Health

Kaira M. Cabañas, Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Publications
Molly Superfine, Postdoctoral Research Associate

For 2023–2027 “The Arts in Mental Health” considers the intertwined histories of art and creative therapies. It will address the work of notable modern artists, from Camille Claudel to Vincent Van Gogh, and delve into the work of contemporary artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Javier Téllez. As part of this research initiative, and in collaboration with the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), associate dean Kaira M. Cabañas will conceive and co-organize a multipart seminar series on “Histories of Madness,” exploring the history of psychiatry and the role of art within it.

The first Center/MASP seminar will take place virtually 2025.