Arthur S. Mole was born in England in 1889 and emigrated to America at age 19. He settled in Zion, Illinois, where he worked as a commercial photographer. His father was also a well-known English photographer.
He is remembered for his enormous patriotic photographs created during and after World War I. He would arrange thousands of soldiers into recognizable symbols like the Statue of Liberty. Each image required careful planning and a special camera.
His most famous image is “The Human Statue of Liberty” made from 18,000 soldiers at Camp Dodge, Iowa. He also created “The Living American Eagle” and “The Shield of the United States”. His work inspired patriotism across the country.
“It is just a matter of careful calculation and many, many hours of hard work that we get those immense patriotic pictures.”
Mole collaborated with John D. Thomas, a photographer from Chicago, to create these large-scale compositions. They used precise mathematical formulas to position each soldier correctly. The photographs were sent to newspapers and families of the soldiers.
Mole’s photographs captured the spirit of American patriotism during a critical time. They were also used for fundraising efforts for the American Red Cross. He created over twenty of these massive images between 1917 and 1920.
His work remains a powerful example of early 20th-century American photography. The images are now considered historical treasures. They remind us of a time when patriotism was expressed through collective effort.
Q: What makes Arthur S. Mole’s photography unique?
A: His ability to organize thousands of soldiers into recognizable patriotic symbols, creating enormous photographs that captured the American spirit. His work required meticulous planning, mathematical precision, and a special high-angle perspective to achieve the final effect. He and his collaborator created over twenty of these massive compositions between 1917 and 1920.
