Sculpting New Faces for WWI Soldiers: Anna Ladd (1878 – 1939)

Anna Ladd was an unconventional American sculptor whose work bridged art and humanity. During World War I, she founded the Studio for Portrait Masks under the American Red Cross, crafting face masks that restored both the appearance and self-esteem of soldiers disfigured by war. This remarkable contribution earned her France’s prestigious Legion of Honor.While she is best known for her wartime efforts, Ladd lectured widely as an outspoken theorist on art and sculpture. In a 1925 public address, she declared:“Sculptors, to be any good at all, have to touch all sides of life. They must have the physical strength of a blacksmith, the skill of a carpenter, the precision of a dentist, the knowledge of anatomy and psychology of a physician. They must have the soul of a poet and the creative energy of a god.”More on Anna Ladd: reidhall.globalcenters.columbia.edu/content/studio-portrait-masks-1918-1920The Reid Hall History Project continues to grow, enriched by the contributions of numerous collaborators. The website is regularly updated with new insights and information: reidhall.globalcenters.columbia.edu/ Find us elsewhere:Website - globalcenters.columbia.edu/parisGet our newsletter - globalcenters.columbia.edu/content/paris-newslettersInstagram - instagram.com/cgcparisX (formerly Twitter) - x.com/cgcpariscenterLinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/cgcparis/Facebook - facebook.com/cgcparisYouTube - youtube.com/@CGCParisHosts: Brunhilde Biebuyck and Marie DoezemaProduction: James Allen, Brunhilde Biebuyck, Marie Doezema, Krista Faurie, Charlotte Force, and Anthony ValetteEditing: Theo AlbaricMusic: Lili Boulanger’s Nocturne performed by Magdalena Baczewska and Sasha HeWith thanks to the Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Centre in ParisThe Columbia Global Paris Center is part of a network of 11 global centers of Columbia University in the City of New York, one of the world's leading academic institutions. The centers serve as knowledge hubs that aim to educate and inspire through research, dialogue, and action. They advance understanding, facilitate partnerships, and build the bridges necessary to tackle our changing world.Columbia Global brings together the Columbia Global Centers, Columbia World Projects, the Committee on Global Thought, and the Institute for Ideas and Imagination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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