WORLD WAR II: MODEL FOR THE WEST POINT SOLDIER STATUE., FELIX DE WELDON. 1907-2003.

The plaster maquette model for one of the three figures in the American Soldiers Statue at the Military Academy at West Point. [Washington: late 1970s]

FELIX DE WELDON. 1907-2003. The plaster maquette model for one of the three figures in the American Soldiers Statue at the Military Academy at West Point. [Washington: late 1970s] A green painted plaster statue of an American soldier, standing in the "Follow me" pose, beckoning to the rest of the force to join him, the base bearing the signature of Felix de Weldon. Height 20.5 inches (520mm).
Provenance: The Estate of Felix de Weldon; The War Museum.

Felix de Weldon was well used to modelling soldiers and had already completed two versions of The Iwo Jima monument in 1945 and 1952. The tripartite group of soldiers, "The American Soldiers Statue", was designed for the military Academy at West Point, the first statue fr the common soldier to be raised there. Before an artist could make the actual sized monument, first in plaster and then in bronze, he would practice making the figures which made up the group. This is one such practice model, the maquette.

US$3,000-5,000