American Legion Soldier

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American Legion Soldier
American Legion Soldier Front.jpg
American Legion Soldier
Artist Adolph Wolter
Year1951 (1951)
Type Indiana limestone
Dimensions400 cm(13 ft)
Location Washington, D.C., United States
Coordinates 38°54′8.12″N77°2′14.44″W / 38.9022556°N 77.0373444°W / 38.9022556; -77.0373444
Owner American Legion

American Legion Soldier is a public artwork by German-born American artist Adolph Wolter, located at the American Legion building on K Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C., United States. "American Legion Soldier" was surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! program in 1993. [1]

Contents

Description

This sculpture depicts a male figure dressed in a combination of World War I and World War II battle fatigues. His shirt is unbuttoned and dogtags hang around his neck. A rifle is slung over his right shoulder and he holds a grenade in his left hand. He wears a helmet on his head and his pants are tucked into his boots. He steps on a snake with his right foot, the snake represents the enemy. The sculpture is installed on a small ledge on the facade of the American Legion building, forty feet above the sidewalk. [1]

History

The model for the sculpture was Lt. Hulon B. Whittington who won a Medal of Honor in World War II. The sculpture, which was carved by Frank Bowden, was carved in ninety days at Adolph Wolter's studio in Indianapolis, Indiana. [1]

The sculpture cost $5,200 to produce and erect. It was dedicated on August 14, 1951, and President Harry S. Truman spoke at the dedication ceremony. [1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Smithsonian (1993). "American Legion Soldier, (sculpture)". Save Outdoor Sculpture. Smithsonian. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
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