Taken at the beginning of the 20th century, by English photographer Arthur S. Mole and his American colleague John D. Thomas, these living photographs show thousands of American soldiers posing as symbols of American history.
I’ve seen a few of these living photos on the internet before, but it’s nice to finally find some real info about them, like what they represent and how many people were needed to create them.
via Telegraph.co.uk
The Living Uncle Sam: 19,000 officers and men at Camp Lee, Virginia, January 13, 1919
The Human US Shield: 30,000 officers and men at Camp Custer, Battle Creek, Michigan, 1918
The living emblem of the United States Marines, formed by 100 officers and 9,000 enlisted men at the Marine Barracks, Paris Island, South Carolina
A portrait of President Woodrow Wilson, formed of 21,000 officers and men at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1918
The Human Liberty Bell, formed by 25,000 officers and men at Camp Dix, New Jersey, 1918
The Human American Eagle: 12,500 officers, nurses and men at Camp Gordon, Atlanta, Georgia, 1918
Living insignia of the 27th Division, New York’s Own, breakers of the Hindenberg Line. Formed of 10,000 officers and enlisted men, March 18, 1919
In the picture of the Statue of Liberty there are 18,000 men: 12,000 of them in the torch alone, but just 17 at the base. The men at the top of the picture are actually half a mile away from the men at the bottom
After seeing the segment on “Sunday Morning”, I checked some old boxes of my grandfather’s things and found one of the originals photos, taken in 1917 (so must be one of their first) of “The Living Flag” taken at Great Lakes Naval Station. Has a sticker on the back saying “This is a Genuine Photograph of “The Living Flag” formed by 10,000 personnel.Looking to sell it. Anyome interested?