The E. M. Viquesney "Spirit of the American Doughboy" Database
THE DOUGHBOY WAR:
E.M. VIQUESNEY VS. JOHN PAULDING
"Don't be fooled -- Insist on a Viquesney Doughboy for your memorial."
-- From a 1929 ad for Viquesney's Doughboy.
"Are you fooled? Not with genuine cast bronze."
-- From a competing ad for John Paulding's Doughboy.
 Viquesney's pressed copper ''Spirit of the American Doughboy''. Photo: Smithsonian American Art Inventory. |  John Paulding's cast bronze ''Over the Top''. Photo supplied by Kenneth Berchem-Nigg. |
SCULPTOR JOHN PAULDING’S DOUGHBOYS
Earl D. Goldsmith, The Woodlands, Texas
John Paulding
A matter that’s added to the difficulty in compiling a correct list of Viquesney Doughboy locations is that several other sculptors created Doughboy statues, some rather similar to "The Spirit of the American Doughboy". The Doughboys of sculptor John Paulding (1883 - 1935), carrying the theme title "Over the Top", are the most prevalent of these. I estimate there are 50 - 55 Pauldings, many of which have been misidentified as Viquesneys, including some in the Smithsonian Inventory of American Sculpture. The information that follows describes similarities between the Pauldings and the Viquesneys, as well as features that help distinguish them from one another.
Both have an upraised right hand. While that’s probably been the major reason for many erroneous identifications, there are many more similarities. Most Pauldings have rifles in their left hands pointed forward at about hip height, usually with an affixed bayonet, as do Viquesneys. Both have flat round helmets, bloused trousers and puttees (wrapped leggings), all of the types worn in the war, a cartridge belt, a field pack on their back, and a gas mask pouch on their chest. Both have (or at least originally had) barbed wire at their feet and appear to be advancing through "no man’s land". It’s not surprising that they’ve been mistaken for one another.
In fact, they were similar enough in the mind of Jules Berchem, the owner of American Art Bronze Foundry in Chicago, IL (the foundry Paulding used), that he sued Viquesney in 1922 for copyright infringement, claiming Viquesney's and Paulding's statues were "so similar as to deceive the general public". Even years later, Viquesney and AABF were still carrying on an ad war (see subheaders above), with the latter touting the superiority of genuine cast bronze over Viquesney's cheaper stamped copper.
But differences make them readily distinguishable when they’re carefully viewed. Pauldings have a crouched, running or charging mode rather than the erect striding mode of Viquesneys, so the Paulding left knee is noticeably bent, whereas the Viquesney left knee isn’t. The Paulding right leg extends in a running mode in the air behind the base, without touching it. While the Viquesney right knee is bent and the right heel is raised, the right sole is on the base. Viquesneys have a flat rectangular pack over a bedroll, whereas Pauldings have a more vertical and round bedroll. Metal Viquesneys have two stumps, but Pauldings don’t. Instead, they have a strangely shaped brace extending upward from the rear area of the base. It forms a "Y" just below the right knee and helps provide stability that’s otherwise missing because the right leg doesn’t touch the base.
With their upraised right arms and rifle positions in the left hand, many of John Paulding's "Over the Top" Doughboys can be easily confused with Ernest Moore Viquesney's "Spirit of the American Doughboy", especially when viewed from the front or left front. Look for the brace supporting the right leg (a Paulding "hallmark"), right foot clear of the base, and no tree stumps (all metal Viquesneys have two stumps).
Confusing matters even more, Viquesney also created another Doughboy statue that bore the same title, "Over the Top", as Pauldng's Doughboys. Having already been sued once over the similarity between his and John Paulding's Doughboys, one would think Viquesney would have known better than to try this. Only one possible copy of Viquesney's version of "Over the Top" is known to exist, at Tavares, Florida. It bears no title or maker's mark, but is thought to be by Viquesney, as its construction is of the same sheet copper method used by him.
All known Paulding "Over the Top" Doughboys occur in four versions, designated Model 2043-A through D, and are identical except as to the design of the raised right hand. The Model A, "Over the Top", copyrighted in 1920, was the first, and exhibits the clenched fist (as shown in the right photo above). The B through D models followed shortly thereafter, beginning in 1921 with "Over the Top to Victory", which displays an open right hand. Examples of it can be seen at Chillicothe, OH and Winner, SD. The C model, "Over the Top at Cantigny", waves its rifle aloft in the right hand (Astoria, OR), and the D model holds a grenade (Buffalo, NY), making it the one that most resembles Viquesney's Doughboy. It, too, is called "Over the Top to Victory". Only two each of the "C" and "D" models are known to exist. The other "C" model is at Catskill, NY, and the other "D" model is at Salem, OR.
Both have an upraised right hand. While that’s probably been the major reason for many erroneous identifications, there are many more similarities. Most Pauldings have rifles in their left hands pointed forward at about hip height, usually with an affixed bayonet, as do Viquesneys. Both have flat round helmets, bloused trousers and puttees (wrapped leggings), all of the types worn in the war, a cartridge belt, a field pack on their back, and a gas mask pouch on their chest. Both have (or at least originally had) barbed wire at their feet and appear to be advancing through "no man’s land". It’s not surprising that they’ve been mistaken for one another.
In fact, they were similar enough in the mind of Jules Berchem, the owner of American Art Bronze Foundry in Chicago, IL (the foundry Paulding used), that he sued Viquesney in 1922 for copyright infringement, claiming Viquesney's and Paulding's statues were "so similar as to deceive the general public". Even years later, Viquesney and AABF were still carrying on an ad war (see subheaders above), with the latter touting the superiority of genuine cast bronze over Viquesney's cheaper stamped copper.
But differences make them readily distinguishable when they’re carefully viewed. Pauldings have a crouched, running or charging mode rather than the erect striding mode of Viquesneys, so the Paulding left knee is noticeably bent, whereas the Viquesney left knee isn’t. The Paulding right leg extends in a running mode in the air behind the base, without touching it. While the Viquesney right knee is bent and the right heel is raised, the right sole is on the base. Viquesneys have a flat rectangular pack over a bedroll, whereas Pauldings have a more vertical and round bedroll. Metal Viquesneys have two stumps, but Pauldings don’t. Instead, they have a strangely shaped brace extending upward from the rear area of the base. It forms a "Y" just below the right knee and helps provide stability that’s otherwise missing because the right leg doesn’t touch the base.
With their upraised right arms and rifle positions in the left hand, many of John Paulding's "Over the Top" Doughboys can be easily confused with Ernest Moore Viquesney's "Spirit of the American Doughboy", especially when viewed from the front or left front. Look for the brace supporting the right leg (a Paulding "hallmark"), right foot clear of the base, and no tree stumps (all metal Viquesneys have two stumps).
Confusing matters even more, Viquesney also created another Doughboy statue that bore the same title, "Over the Top", as Pauldng's Doughboys. Having already been sued once over the similarity between his and John Paulding's Doughboys, one would think Viquesney would have known better than to try this. Only one possible copy of Viquesney's version of "Over the Top" is known to exist, at Tavares, Florida. It bears no title or maker's mark, but is thought to be by Viquesney, as its construction is of the same sheet copper method used by him.
All known Paulding "Over the Top" Doughboys occur in four versions, designated Model 2043-A through D, and are identical except as to the design of the raised right hand. The Model A, "Over the Top", copyrighted in 1920, was the first, and exhibits the clenched fist (as shown in the right photo above). The B through D models followed shortly thereafter, beginning in 1921 with "Over the Top to Victory", which displays an open right hand. Examples of it can be seen at Chillicothe, OH and Winner, SD. The C model, "Over the Top at Cantigny", waves its rifle aloft in the right hand (Astoria, OR), and the D model holds a grenade (Buffalo, NY), making it the one that most resembles Viquesney's Doughboy. It, too, is called "Over the Top to Victory". Only two each of the "C" and "D" models are known to exist. The other "C" model is at Catskill, NY, and the other "D" model is at Salem, OR.
A LIST OF SOME PAULDING DOUGHBOY LOCATIONS
The following list shows some of the reported locations of John Paulding's "Over the Top" series of WWI Doughboy memorials. We cannot guarantee its accuracy: Jonesboro, AR; Manitou Springs, CO; Marietta, GA; Palmer Park, Chicago, IL (shown above, right, now gone); Elgin, IL; Freeburg, IL; Wheaton, IL; Onaga, KS; Leavenworth, KS; Hagerstown, MD; Williamsport, MD; Benton Harbor, MI; South Haven, MI; Minneapolis, MN; St. Cloud, MN; Albany, MO; Marshall, MO; Missoula, MT; Wahpeton, ND; Norfolk, NE; Schuyler, NE; Valentine, NE; Bolton Landing, NY; Buffalo, NY; Catskill, NY; Bridgeport, OH; Chillicothe, OH; Camp Washington, Cincinnati, OH; Martins Ferry, OH; Astoria, OR; McMinnville, OR, Portland; OR; Salem, OR; Northhampton, PA; Philadelphia, PA; Newberry, SC; Winner, SD; Knoxville, TN; Llano, TX; Norfolk, VT; Rutland, VT; Ladysmith, WI; Mellen, WI; Rice Lake, WI; Stevens Point, WI; Wautoma, WI; Evanston, WY.
Links:
http://www.prairiepublic.org/radio/radio-programs-a-z/plains-folk/?post=25706
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/mcpherson/1917/16.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paulding_(sculptor)
http://www.prairiepublic.org/radio/radio-programs-a-z/plains-folk/?post=25706
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/mcpherson/1917/16.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paulding_(sculptor)
