Born in England in 1889, photographer Arthur Mole became famous for his patriotic work as a naturalized American. But his work was far from traditional.
Accompanied by his partner, John Thomas, Mole visited military bases around the country during World War I. There, he placed his 11x14-inch view camera atop an 80-foot tower and ordered thousands of officers, soldiers, reservists and nurses into colossal compositions.
Each photograph took at least a week of planning to visualize and map out. Mole would trace the outline of each composition on the ground glass of his camera, then use a megaphone and hand signals to direct assistants on the ground.
It took several more hours of wrangling thousands of participants into place before the shutter could be clicked.
In the chaotic days of World War I, the monumental images were meant to display a sense of resolute national unity.
1917
18,000 officers and men form the Statue of Liberty at Camp Dodge in Iowa.
1918
25,000 officers and men form the Liberty Bell at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
1918
21,000 officers and men form a portrait of Woodrow Wilson at Camp Sherman, Ohio.
1918
30,000 men and officers form an American shield at Camp Custer in Michigan.
1917
U.S. Naval Rifle Range, Camp Logan, Illinois.
1917
Bluejackets form Allied flags at the U.S. Naval Training Station in Pelham Bay, New York.
1918
Soldiers of the 164th Depot Brigade form a service flag at Fort Riley in Kansas.
1917
Men and officers form the YMCA logo at Camp Wheeler in Georgia.
1918
12,500 officers, nurses and men form an American eagle at Camp Gordon in Georgia.
1918
22,500 officers and men form a machine gun insignia at Camp Hancock in Georgia.
1917
Officers and men form a Japanese flag at the United States Naval Training Station in Illinois.
1917
Men and officers form a Union Jack flag at the United States Naval Training Station in Illinois.
1917
Men and officers form an American flag at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois.
Accompanied by his partner, John Thomas, Mole visited military bases around the country during World War I. There, he placed his 11x14-inch view camera atop an 80-foot tower and ordered thousands of officers, soldiers, reservists and nurses into colossal compositions.
Each photograph took at least a week of planning to visualize and map out. Mole would trace the outline of each composition on the ground glass of his camera, then use a megaphone and hand signals to direct assistants on the ground.
It took several more hours of wrangling thousands of participants into place before the shutter could be clicked.
In the chaotic days of World War I, the monumental images were meant to display a sense of resolute national unity.
1917
18,000 officers and men form the Statue of Liberty at Camp Dodge in Iowa.
1918
25,000 officers and men form the Liberty Bell at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
1918
21,000 officers and men form a portrait of Woodrow Wilson at Camp Sherman, Ohio.
1918
30,000 men and officers form an American shield at Camp Custer in Michigan.
1917
U.S. Naval Rifle Range, Camp Logan, Illinois.
1917
Bluejackets form Allied flags at the U.S. Naval Training Station in Pelham Bay, New York.
1918
Soldiers of the 164th Depot Brigade form a service flag at Fort Riley in Kansas.
1917
Men and officers form the YMCA logo at Camp Wheeler in Georgia.
1918
12,500 officers, nurses and men form an American eagle at Camp Gordon in Georgia.
1918
22,500 officers and men form a machine gun insignia at Camp Hancock in Georgia.
1917
Officers and men form a Japanese flag at the United States Naval Training Station in Illinois.
1917
Men and officers form a Union Jack flag at the United States Naval Training Station in Illinois.
1917
Men and officers form an American flag at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois.
