Collection

MACMONNIES, Frederick William

Brooklyn, New York, 1863 - New York, New York, 1937

Mémorial américain

American Memorial

1932

statue in stone

Meaux, route de Varredes

Monuments

From 1900 to 1940

Historical

Architecte: Hastings Thomes

The work is a donation from the United States to France. Quattrochi oversaw the enlargement and the completion of the sculpture.

Comment

In 1916, a committee directed by the banker and publisher Thomas W. lamont and composed of Charles W. Freer, William K. Vanderbilt, Harry Payne Whitney, Otto H. Karn, Edith Wharton and John S. Sargent was formed to commemorate the courage shown by French soldiers during the battle of the Marne in September 1914. In 1917, Macmonnies and the architect Hastings were chosen. Fundraising began after the war and 4 million Americans participated. This fact, as well as the spectacular dimensions of the monument (280 feet tall) have truly made it "the American reply to the statue of Liberty." Inaugurated in 1932, it brought MacMonnies the honor of being named commander of the legion of Honor, a year later. (Source: Records of the Musée franco-américain du château de Blérancourt)

Related works

Fragments of a plaster model are at Blérancourt, Musée franco-amériquie du château de Blérancourt.

Bibliography

France Debuisson, Catherine Chevillot, Chantal Georgel, Laure de Margerie, Anne Pingeot, Claire Barbillon, A nos grands hommes - La sculpture publique en France jusqu'à la seconde guerre mondiale, CD-Rom, éd. INHA-Musée d'Orsay, Paris, 2004.