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Wake up America! Civilization calls every man, woman and child! / James Montgomery Flagg.

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Wake up America! Civilization calls every man, woman and child! / James Montgomery Flagg.

description

Summary

Poster shows a woman dressed in Stars & Stripes, symbolizing America asleep.
Caption label from exhibit "World War I ...": James Montgomery Flagg's Call To Arms. After two and a half years of neutrality, the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. James Montgomery Flagg, who created some of the war's most indelible images, sounded the alarm for all citizens in this poster which was featured in "Wake Up, America" Day in New York City just thirteen days later on April 19th. Actress Mary Arthur was Flagg's model for Columbia who is a personification of America and Liberty. She is shown asleep, wearing patriotic stars and stripes and a Phrygian cap a symbol of freedom since Roman times. While she dozes against a fluted column, another visual reference to Western classical antiquity and civilization, sinister storm clouds gather in the background.

Promotional goal: U.S. J44. 1917.
"Mayor's Committee, 50 East 42nd St."
Exhibited: American Treasures of the Library of Congress, 2002.
Exhibited: "World War I : American Artists View the Great War" in the Graphic Arts Gallery, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., May - November 2016.

date_range

Date

01/01/1917
person

Contributors

Flagg, James Montgomery, 1877-1960, artist
place

Location

create

Source

National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
copyright

Copyright info

Public Domain

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