Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Peace Statue - World War I - Chicopee, Massachusetts


Many World War I monuments depicted, not the figures of soldiers as in previous wars, but used images of peace.  The images were mythical, allegorical, because we did not know what peace looked like, but we imaged it must be something beautiful, gentle, and noble.

This statue was sculpted and cast in bronze by Melzar H. Mosman in his Chicopee Bronze Works studio, made especially for his hometown and donated by him.  It stands on Front Street, Chicopee, Massachusetts.  Mosman, himself, was a veteran of the Civil War.  He knew what war was, and he lived the artist's aching determination to create truth, and beauty.

The names of Chicopee's World War I veterans are listed on tablets mounted on the pedestal. The statute is simply called Peace.


For more on Melzar Mosman's work, have a look at this previous post here. I'm currently working on a book about Mosman and his art.

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