Burt Johnson

Burt William Johnson (25 April 1890—27 March 1927)[1] was an American sculptor.

Johnson was born in Flint, Ohio and moved to Claremont, California in 1907 to study at Pomona College, and then to New York City in 1909 to study at the Art Students League of New York.[1] He worked with fellow sculptors James Earle Fraser and Johnson's brother-in-law, Louis St. Gaudens, the brother of Augustus Saint-Gaudens.[1][2] He was active in both California and New York, and is well known for his statues honoring American soldiers of World War I, known as doughboys. Two of these doughboy statues can be found in DeWitt Clinton Park and Doughboy Park in New York City, the latter of which was named the best war memorial of its kind by the American Federation of Artists in 1928.[2] Among his earlier works is the bronze nude statue,"Spirit of Spanish Music" located in Lebus Court at Pomona College.[3][4] His allegorical figures of Architecture and Sculpture decorate the exterior of the 1927 Fine Arts Building (Los Angeles). The inside lobby has a fountain with sculptures of children, modeled by his daughter, Cynthia (age 3) and his son Harvey (age 5).[5] His son, Harvey W. Johnson (1921-2005), was a prominent Western artist and became President of the Cowboy Artists of America.[6][7]

He had a sister, also a sculptor. Annetta Johnson Saint-Gaudens, who assisted him with some of the architectural sculpture on the Fine Arts Building in Los Angeles.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Burt W. Johnson (askart.com)
  2. 1 2 Doughboy Park: History at nycgovparks.org
  3. ↑ Lebus Court, Pomona College
  4. ↑ 1915 Pomona College timeline
  5. ↑ The Fine Arts Building publicartina.com
  6. ↑ CowboyArtistsofAmerica
  7. ↑ About the Artist harveywjohnson.com official site
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