Possible sketch for the "Henry Ford Memorial"
Drawing, American--20th century. Figure drawing. Ford, Edsel, 1893-1943 Ford, Henry, 1863-1947. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998
Ink on notepad paper 5" x 8" The idea to create a memorial honoring Henry Ford took root in 1948 when the Dearborn, Michigan Chamber of Commerce conducted a poll of Dearborn residents and learned that most of the populace favored such a proposal. The Dearborn Chamber of Commerce initiated a fundraising drive to finance a life-size full-length bronze of the auto magnate and commissioned Marshall Fredericks to design the sculpture. Fredericksâ€™ original model for the memorial consisted of a sixty-year-old Henry Ford standing with one hand on the shoulder of a teenage boy and the other hand pointing towards the future. Although approved by the Ford family, Fredericks never executed the design, as fundraising proved to be difficult, causing the project to be put on hold. In 1967, almost twenty years after the original proposal, the Inter-Service Club Council of Dearborn revived the project, calling upon residents of the city to raise funds for the monument through public subscription. Unfortunately many Dearborn residents thought that the teenage boy in the model was Edsel Ford, Henry Fordâ€™s son, and not a representation of Henry Ford in his youth, as the artist intended. Although a historically inaccurate assumption, the confusion persisted, causing the Henry Ford Statue Committee to scrap the original concept in favor of a new design. Located at the Henry Ford Centennial Library, the final memorial is a life-size bronze figure of Henry Ford in his familiar pose, standing with his hands in his pockets, situated at the center of a serpentine marble wall. At the memorialâ€™s unveiling in 1975, Fredericks remarked â€œThis pose, the thoughtful look, represents him in the best way. I like to see him thinking.â€ Intended to tell the story of Fordâ€™s life, bronze reliefs depicting his early childhood, adolescence and the growth of the Ford Empire accompany the central figure. The reverse side of the memorial features three engraved quotations attributed to this legendary innovator.
Marshall M. Fredericks Papers Series II, Box 1 Folder 23
Use of this image requires permission from the Marshall M. Fredericks Archives.
Drawing, American--20th century. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998
Graphite on paper 3" x 5" Sketch of Pegasus.
Graphite on paper 3" x 5" Sketch of elephant.
Drawing, American--20th century. Figure drawing. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998
Graphite on notepad paper 5" x 8" Unidentified figure sketch of strong man.
Unidentified sketches, possibly for the "Rebild American Independence Day Medal"
Drawing, American--20th century. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998 Rebild Nationalpark (Denmark)
Ink on typing paper 8.5" x 11" Obverse: Danish crest and eagle with stars and text " Tilegnet Den Danske Og Amerikanske Befolkning Til Evigt Vensksb". Reverse: Log cabin and Abraham Lincoln portrait on bottom with text "Rebild National Park Society INC Commemoration American Independence Day".
Ink on notepad paper 5" x 8" Sketch of Viking with gold shield and sword on ship's prow for unidentified project.
Ink on notepad paper 5" x 8" Sketch of "Eagle" in flight for unidentified project, possibly International Park fountain.
Ink on typing paper 8.5" x 11" Unidentified sketch possibly for the Michigan Medical Society Building of hands and baby or mother and baby.
Graphite on notepad paper 5" x 8" Unidentified sketches of hand holding a planet. Drawing also includes possible sketch for "Holy Mother and Child" from "Saints and Sinners".
Dragons in art. Drawing, American--20th century. Figure drawing. Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998
Ink on typing paper 8.5" x 11" Sketch of knight standing atop a slayed dragon, possibly depicting St. George and the Dragon. Possibly unrealized.