Archibald MacNeal Willard
Encyclopedia
Archibald MacNeal Willard (August 22, 1836–October 11, 1918) was an American
painter
who was born and raised in Bedford
, Ohio
.
Willard joined the 86th Ohio Infantry
in 1863 and fought in the American Civil War
. During this time he painted several scenes from the war, and forged a friendship with photographer James F. Ryder. Willard painted The Spirit of '76 in Wellington, Ohio
after he saw a parade pass through the town square.
Willard's most famous work is The Spirit of '76 (previously known as Yankee Doodle) which was exhibited at the Centennial Exposition
. The original is displayed in Abbot Hall (Marblehead, Massachusetts)
as Williard painted several variations of the now-famous scene. Another original variation of the work by Williard hangs in the United States Department of State
. Of note, he used his father as the model for the middle character of the painting. Willard painted three murals in the main hall of the Fayette County, Ohio
courthouse in Washington Court House, Ohio
: "The Spirit of Electricity", "The Spirit of Telegraphy", and "The Spirit of the Mail".
Willard is buried in Wellington, Ohio at the Greenwood Cemetery.
There is a street in Bedford, Ohio
named Willard Drive and also in nearby Garfield Heights, there is a street named Willard Avenue.
The title of the painting is referred to in Kurt Vonnegut
's novel Slaughterhouse Five in a scene in which Billy Pilgrim, the main protagonist, walks through a POW camp near Dresden
about a month before it was fire-bombed by the Allies. Billy is thus described: "Billy was carrying his little coat as though it were a lady's muff. It was wrapped around and around his hands. He was the central clown in an unconscious travesty of that famous oil painting, The Spirit of '76."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
who was born and raised in Bedford
Bedford, Ohio
Bedford is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,074 at the 2010 census. It is an eastern suburb of Cleveland.-Geography:Bedford is located at ....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
Willard joined the 86th Ohio Infantry
86th Ohio Infantry
The 86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Three-months regiment:...
in 1863 and fought in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. During this time he painted several scenes from the war, and forged a friendship with photographer James F. Ryder. Willard painted The Spirit of '76 in Wellington, Ohio
Wellington, Ohio
Wellington is a village in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,511 at the 2000 census.-History:Wellington was settled in 1818 by Ephraim Wilcox, Charles Sweet, William T. Welling, John Clifford, and Joseph Wilson from the states of Massachusetts and New York...
after he saw a parade pass through the town square.
Willard's most famous work is The Spirit of '76 (previously known as Yankee Doodle) which was exhibited at the Centennial Exposition
Centennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It was officially...
. The original is displayed in Abbot Hall (Marblehead, Massachusetts)
Abbot Hall (Marblehead, Massachusetts)
Abbot Hall is a town hall and historical museum located at 188 Washington Street, Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is open year-round, though with restricted hours in the colder months....
as Williard painted several variations of the now-famous scene. Another original variation of the work by Williard hangs in the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. Of note, he used his father as the model for the middle character of the painting. Willard painted three murals in the main hall of the Fayette County, Ohio
Fayette County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,433 people, 11,054 households, and 7,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 11,904 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
courthouse in Washington Court House, Ohio
Washington Court House, Ohio
Washington Court House is a city in Fayette County, Ohio, United States. It is the county seat of Fayette County and is located approximately halfway between Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. The population was 14,192 in 2010 at the 2010 census...
: "The Spirit of Electricity", "The Spirit of Telegraphy", and "The Spirit of the Mail".
Willard is buried in Wellington, Ohio at the Greenwood Cemetery.
There is a street in Bedford, Ohio
Bedford, Ohio
Bedford is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,074 at the 2010 census. It is an eastern suburb of Cleveland.-Geography:Bedford is located at ....
named Willard Drive and also in nearby Garfield Heights, there is a street named Willard Avenue.
The title of the painting is referred to in Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
's novel Slaughterhouse Five in a scene in which Billy Pilgrim, the main protagonist, walks through a POW camp near Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
about a month before it was fire-bombed by the Allies. Billy is thus described: "Billy was carrying his little coat as though it were a lady's muff. It was wrapped around and around his hands. He was the central clown in an unconscious travesty of that famous oil painting, The Spirit of '76."