John J. Pershing General of the Armies
John J. Pershing General of the Armies, is a public artwork by American artist Robert White, located at Pershing Park in Washington, D.C., United States. John J. Pershing General of the Armies was originally surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey in 1994. The monument is a tribute to United States Army general John J. Pershing.[1]
| John J. Pershing General of the Armies | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Robert White |
| Year | 1983 |
| Type | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 270 cm × 71 cm × 71 cm (108 in × 28 in × 28 in) |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| 38°53′45.1″N 77°1′56.7″W | |
| Owner | National Park Service |
Description
The sculpture shows General Pershing standing with his head slightly turned, as if overseeing a battlefield in front of him. His proper right hand raises binoculars to his eyes and his proper left hand holds his hat at his side. Wearing a World War I uniform with knickerbockers, tall boots and a long belted jacket, he steps forward with his proper left foot.
Resting on a square of red granite (51 × 53 × 53 in.) in a small plaza, the sculpture is flanked by two tall granite walls.
The front of the rear wall is inscribed (rear wall: H. 10 ft. W. 3 ft. L. 311⁄2 ft.):
- JOHN J. PERSHING
- GENERAL OF THE ARMIES.
The back of the rear wall is inscribed:
- IN THEIR DEVOTION, THEIR VALOR, AND IN THE LOYAL FULFILLMENT OF THEIR
- OBLIGATIONS, THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
- HAVE LEFT A HERITAGE OF WHICH THOSE WHO FOLLOW MAY EVER BE PROUD
- JOHN J. PERSHING
- (Pershing's signature)
The front left wall, which is divided into four sections features an extensive text regarding Pershing's involvement in the Western Front, his leadership in First United States Army, the signing of the Armistice with Germany, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, and an inscription reading (H. 10 ft. W. 3 ft. L. 49 ft.):
- ERECTED BY:
- AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION
- WALLACE K. HARRISON ARCHITECT
- FREDERICK (...transcription illegible)
- ENGINEER
- ROBERT WHITE SCULPTOR
- 1983[1]
Information
Authorized by Congress on April 2, 1956, the American Battle Monuments Commission paid the $400,000 for the park.[1] The sculpture was dedicated in October 1983.[2]
Condition
This sculpture was surveyed in 1994 for its condition and was described as "well maintained."[1]
Further reading
- Walgren, A. S.(2016). The “Forgotten Man” of Washington: the Pershing Memorial and the Battle over Military Memorialization. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/3543
References
- American Art Museum (2004). "John J. Pershing General of the Armies (sculpture)". Inventory of American Sculpture. Smithsonian. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
- "Pershing Park (U.S. National Park Service)". National Park Service. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
