The E. M. Viquesney Doughboy Database
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  • "Our Mr. Wesley"
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  • "The Spirit of the American Doughboy"
    • The Sheet Bronze Doughboys
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  • Currently Known Viquesney Doughboy Locations
    • Alabama >
      • Anniston, Alabama
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    • Arizona >
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    • Arkansas >
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    • Florida >
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    • Georgia >
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        • *Trion, Georgia
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      • New Ulm, Minnesota (1995 Bronze Replica)
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      • Lexington, Missouri - Styrofoam Replica
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    • Montana >
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        • *Kalispell, Montana
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    • *Nebraska >
      • *Omaha, Nebraska
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    • New York >
      • Castile, New York
      • Harrison, New York
      • *Vestal, New York
    • North Carolina >
      • Charlotte, North Carolina
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    • Ohio >
      • Akron, Ohio
      • *Blue Ash (Cincinnati), Ohio
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      • New Philadelphia, Ohio
      • St. Bernard (Cincinnati), Ohio
      • Swanton, Ohio
      • Warren, Ohio
      • Woodville, Ohio
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    • Oklahoma >
      • Cherokee, Oklahoma
      • Granite, Oklahoma
      • Henryetta, Oklahoma
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    • Pennsylvania >
      • Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
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      • Forest City, Pennsylvania
      • Indiana, Pennsylvania
      • Lancaster, Pennsylvania
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      • Scranton, Pennsylvania (Original)
      • Tatamy, Pennsylvania
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    • South Carolina >
      • Anderson, South Carolina
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    • South Dakota >
      • Bullhead, South Dakota
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    • Utah >
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        • *Hiawatha, Utah
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    • Vermont >
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    • West Virginia >
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    • Wisconsin >
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  • Repair, Restoration, and Conservation (Outdoor Monuments)
  • The Miniature Doughboys
    • The "American Doughboy Art Lamp"
    • Miniature Doughboy FAQs
    • Repair, Restoration, and Conservation (Miniatures)
  • Other Works by E. M. Viquesney
    • 1904: The Early Years
    • 1905-1915: Civil War Memorials
    • 1916: Booklet Illustrations
    • 1920: Burial Vault Patent
    • 1921: The Rylander Theatre
    • 1922: The "Imp-O-Luck"
    • 1922: The United States Infantry Association Trophy
    • 1923: The Klan-Lite
    • 1923 (est.) - "GOB" - "The Spirit of the American Sailor"
    • 1925: The Viquesney Block
    • 1926: "The Spirit of the American Navy"
    • 1927: "The Spirit of the Skies"
    • 1928: The Tivoli Theatre
    • 1928: Plaque at Malvern, Pennsylvania
    • 1929: "Mother" (Madonna and Child)
    • 1930: "Zero Hour"
    • 1930: Flanders Cross Memorial
    • 1930s (est.) - Joan of Arc
    • 1930s (est): Service Plaque
    • 1931: Knute Rockne Bust
    • 1933-1934: "The Unveiling"
    • 1935: Viquesney's Version of "Over the Top"
    • 1935 (est.): Memorial to the Women of the Confederacy
    • 1936: "Resting Doughboy"
    • 1936 (est.): Alf Landon Bust
    • 1936, 1937: "The Spirit of America" / "The Spirit of the Flag",
    • 1938: "Lincoln as an Indiana Boy" >
      • Guido Rebechini's Lincoln Lookalike
    • 1939: Soldiers Memorial Pavilion
    • 1940: "Creation"
    • 1942: "The Yanks Again", "Eagle's Watch", and "Remember Pearl Harbor"
    • 1943: "The Spirit of the Fighting Yank" >
      • Chicago, Illinois
      • Bloomington, Indiana
      • Port Huron, Michigan
      • Belmont, North Carolina
      • Oil City, Pennsylvania
    • 1946: "Comrades", Viquesney's Last Piece
    • Career-long Output: Plaques, Grave Markers
  • "And So the Scene Closes"
  • Carrying On: Frederic L. Hollis
  • E. M. Viquesney vs. John Paulding
    • Paulding's Model 2043-A
    • Paulding's Model 2043-B
    • Paulding's Model 2043-C
    • Paulding's Model 2043-D
  • Viquesney Doughboy Lookalikes and Derivatives
    • Greenville, Alabama (Engraved Panel)
    • Montgomery, Alabama
    • Tampa, Florida
    • New Orleans, Louisiana
    • Union City (West Hoboken), New Jersey
    • Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
    • Franklin, Pennsylvania
    • Arcadia, Wisconsin
    • The McNeel Marble Co. Doughboys >
      • Eufaula, Alabama
      • Headland, Alabama
      • Troy, North Carolina
      • Clarksville, Tennessee
      • Texarkana, Texas
    • Eagle Bronze Works, Fiske Iron Works Doughboys
    • Walter A. Sinz Doughboys
    • Other Viquesney-Inspired Lookalikes
  • Viquesney Doughboy Myths
  • Viquesney Document Archive
  • Epilogue
Picture

1936, 1937: "THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA" PLAQUE
and
"THE SPIRIT OF THE FLAG" STATUETTE

Picture
During the years between the  World Wars, Viquesney continued to produce military and patriotic pieces, often continuing his "Spirit of" theme. He was particularly proud of a desktop statuette he called "The Spirit of the Flag" (below, left), noting that a copy was presented to then President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his birthday and "complimented highly" by him.

The figure was also the centerpiece of a patriotic plaque called "The Spirit of America
" (or "Americanism"). It's also known as "The American's Creed", or "We Follow the Flag" plaque, and was designed to be displayed in schools, libraries, and courthouses to counter what the artist perceived to be "the inroads of Communism and Fascism" threatening America's youth during the 1930s.

There are two copyright records for the piece: The first (1936) calls it "We Follow the Flag"; the second (1937), the "Americanism Panel".

The plaque came in both plaster and bronze versions; one of the latter sold on eBay in 2006 for over $1,500. Copies of the plaque are displayed in Spencer, Indiana at the Owen County Heritage and Culture Center, the city hall, and Viquesney Pavilion in Riverside Cemetery. There is a copy in Butler University's Jordan Hall (installed February, 1941), and in the lobby of Purdue University's  Memorial Union building. In October of 1941, a copy was installed at the Indiana State School for the deaf in Indianapolis.

The bronze version of the plaque weighs about 150 pounds; the plaster version, about 50. It came with a
booklet, the front page of which is shown below, right. In it, the artist details the story of how he came to create the piece. There was also a smaller plaster version for home display.


Look closely on the right and you'll see that Viquesney's "Spirit of the American Navy" has also been recycled into the composition.

The newspaper article at left describes the incorporation of a company to distribute the panel nationwide. Its high hopes were never realized.
​

Our thanks to Harlan Ogle, Monticello, Kentucky, for the illustration above, and the scan of the booklet cover. 

Picture
Viquesney's ''Spirit of the flag'' is the centerpiece of his ''Spirit of America'' plaque, shown at right and described below. Click image to enlarge.
Picture
''The Spirit of America'' (a.k.a ''The Spirit of Americansm'', ''We Follow the Flag'', or ''The American's Creed'') plaque. Click image for more information.

The ad below is from a Viquesney newsletter. Here the plaque is called "Spirit of Americanism".
Picture
Picture
Links:
Historical Marker Database
Butler University
Purdue University

photo.net

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