Monday, August 5, 2024
reading time: 2 minutes
Renowned sculptor Sabin Howard meticulously crafted “A Soldier’s Journey,” the centerpiece of the National World War I Memorial set to be unveiled in Washington, D.C. next month. The memorial aims to honor the 4.8 million American men and women who served in the military and the 116,516 who lost their lives during the Great War, while educating visitors about this pivotal moment in history.
Howard was commissioned to create this sculpture, sculpting a powerful story through 38 detailed figures, embodying the experiences of soldiers, families and nurses during the War to End All Wars.
At first, Howard endured a tedious commission process—“I had all these people who became overnight sculpture experts telling me what to do,” he says wryly. He soon realized that to uplift, inspire, and educate viewers required him to stick to his own unique artistic vision.
Howard stood in his studio in front of a poster for The Last Judgment and heard an inner voice say, “Do what you know.”
Howard’s expertise in classical and Renaissance art, honed through his education at the Philadelphia College of Art and the New York Academy of Art, as well as more than 35,000 hours in the studio, is evident in the piece. His deep study of masters such as Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael has given him a unique sense of design and composition reminiscent of the Renaissance.
Working with models in authentic World War I uniforms and recreated 1917 clothing, Howard shot scenes in his South Bronx studio, taking more than 12,000 photographs to form the narrative of “A Soldier’s Journey.” As the project progressed in New Jersey, he moved to using actual veterans, believing their expressions could more truthfully convey the trauma of battle.
As Howard shared with American Legion Magazine, “This is the thing I came up with: I’m making art that should be understood by people who don’t go to museums, who come to this memorial to see the history of our country.”
This project had a profound impact on Howard, who realized that he was creating art for something much greater than himself—the sacred art of the nation. His ordinary figures in bas-relief are a testament to this vision, blending specific individuals with universal sentiments.
The mother at the beginning of the statue represents not only the individual model, a former Broadway actress, but also all the mothers and wives who have faced the great sadness of seeing their loved ones go to war. She also symbolizes the United States, which was initially reluctant to send its citizens to fight abroad.
The memorial lighting ceremony will be broadcast live on September 13, 2024, at 6:45 p.m., with national television coverage.
