Pro Patria (sculpture)

Pro Patria
The statue in 2012
MediumBronze sculpture
LocationIndianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Coordinates39°46′23″N 86°09′25″W / 39.7730°N 86.1569°W / 39.7730; -86.1569

Pro Patria is a 1929 bronze sculpture by American artist Henry Hering,[1] installed in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is among the nation's largest sculptural bronze castings.[2][3][4] In latin, pro patria means "for the fatherland."

History

Pro Patria was installed during a change in the architectural landscape of Indianapolis during the interwar period between World War 1 and World War 2.[5] Part of this transformation included Pro Patria. In 1919, municipal leaders sought to establish Indianapolis as a center for veterans affairs by securing a permanent home for the American Legion. In 1920, led by Governor James P. Goodrich, the Indiana General Assembly passed the Indiana War Memorial Bill, which appropriated the modern equivalent of $28.5 million for this project.[6][7] The plaza cornerstone, laid by former General John J. Pershing, was laid in 1927, with the statute arriving in Indianapolis and installed in October of 1929.[8][9] The sculpture was cast in seven places, and was necessary due to the immense volume of the figure and limitations of the foundry crucibles at the time. Final production was completed at the Roman Bronze Works in Corona, New York.[9]

Symbolism

Henry Hering stated of the statue "I have attempted to embody in this memorial, the spirit rather than material concept of a soldier-- to give the figure an expression of all there is in humanity of aspiration, valor, renunciation and the perpetuation of the memory of the patriot fighting for the right. I include peace also, for the left hand raised in exultation also may snatch the olive branch."[10] The motifs in the painting represent the human drive to strive for a higher purpose beyond the self. The young man depicted in this picture is cloaked in the American flag, suggesting his identity has been transformed. However, the statue is not a warlike figure, but rather a "exultant" young man, having completed his duty, his free hand is now ready to reach for an olive branch, a common symbol of peace.[10][11]

Description

The bronze sculpture Pro Patria is installed on the south side of the Indiana War Memorial, in Indianapolis. The statue weighs approximately seven tons and has a pink granite base.[12][13] It depicts an "exultant"[11] young man draped in an American flag.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hoosier Banker. Indiana Bankers Association. 1927.
  2. ^ on, Best Books (1941). Indiana: A Guide to the Hoosier State. Best Books on. ISBN 978-1-62376-013-7. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  3. ^ Tauranac, John (March 21, 2014). The Empire State Building: The Making of a Landmark. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-7109-4.
  4. ^ Percoco, James A. (August 25, 2009). Summers with Lincoln: Looking for the Man in the Monuments. Fordham Univ Press. ISBN 978-0-8232-2897-3.
  5. ^ "Walk Indianapolis | Self-Guided Audio Tours of Indianapolis Architecture and Landmarks". www.walkindianapolis.org. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  6. ^ "Collection: Indiana War History Commission collection | ArchivesSpace Public Interface". archives.isl.lib.in.us. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  7. ^ "Indianapolis Times 22 July 1920 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  8. ^ "General John J. Pershing – Indiana War Memorials Foundation". Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  9. ^ a b National Park Service. (1989). Pony Express Terminal (National Register of Historic Places Registration Form). U.S. Department of the Interior. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/89001404_text
  10. ^ a b IWM (May 4, 2021). "Indiana War Memorial Exterior - Pro Patria". IWM. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  11. ^ a b Stevens, Alden; Stevens, Marion Paine (1950). The Stevens America: A Traveler's Guide to the United States. Little, Brown.
  12. ^ "Indiana War Memorial Exterior - Pro Patria". State of Indiana. May 4, 2021. Archived from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  13. ^ Indiana, 1930. 1930.
  14. ^ "NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK NOMINATION: INDIANA WORLD WAR MEMORIAL PLAZA HISTORIC DISTRICT". Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  • Media related to Pro Patria (Indianapolis) at Wikimedia Commons
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.