Live photographs by Arthur Mole

209th engineers camp Sheridan, 1919. Group photography by American commercial photographer. Live photographs by Arthur Mole
Live photographs by Arthur Mole
British-born American commercial photographer Arthur Samuel Mole (January 7, 1889, – 14 August 1983) became known for the series of his human photo compositions made during World War I. In particular, Woodrow Wilson, the Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty, an American eagle, an emblem of the YMCA, and the Allied flag. Some massive compositions required the placement of to 30,000 people – soldiers, members of the military. John D. Thomas was his partner in this endeavor.
Noteworthy, Arthur Mole is a pioneer in the field of performed group photography. Executing photographs using such large numbers, and relying on lines of perspective stretching out more than a hundred meters, required a week of preparation. In addition, hours to actually position the formations. Mole would stand on his viewing tower and shout into a megaphone or use a long pole with a white flag to arrange the tens of thousands of soldiers into position.
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