Marshall M. Fredericks
(1908)

Marshall Fredericks was born in 1908 in Rock Island, Illinois. He graduated from the Cleveland School of Art and then studied in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, and Italy. He was one of Carl Milles' pupils. He taught in Cleveland, Ohio, and for nine and one-half years, at the Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield, Michigan.

Mr. Fredericks holds many gold medals including the Gold Fine Arts Medal of the American Institute of Architects and the Gold Medal of Honor of the Architectural League of New York.

Marshall Fredericks is an Academician of the National Academy of Design, and is a member of the Royal Society of the Arts, London, England.

He has received many honors from colleges in this country and in Denmark and Norway. He has been knighted by the King of Denmark and the King of Norway. He is the Royal Danish Consul for Michigan.

Marshall M. Fredericks was born of Scandinavian heritage in Rock Island, Illinois on January 31, 1908. His family moved to Florida for a short time and then settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where he grew up. He graduated from the Cleveland School of Art in 1930, and journeyed abroad on a fellowship to study with Carl Milles (1875-1955) in Sweden. After some months, he studied in other academies and private studios in Denmark, Germany, France, and Italy, and traveled extensively in Europe and North Africa.

In 1932, he was invited by Carl Milles to join the staffs of Cranbrook Academy of Art and Cranbrook and Kingswood Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, teaching there until he enlisted in the armed forces in 1942. In 1945 Fredericks was honorably discharged from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel.

After World War II, the sculptor worked continuously on his numerous commissions for fountains, memorials, free-standing sculptures, reliefs, and portraits in bronze and other materials. Many of his works have spiritual intensity, lighthearted humor and a warm and gentle humanist spirit like that found in Fredericks himself.

Fredericks was the recipient of many American and foreign awards and decorations for his artistic and humanitarian achievements. He exhibited his work nationally and internationally; many of his sculptures are in national, civic, and private collections.

He resided in Birmingham, Michigan with his wife Rosalind Cooke until his death in April of 1998; they had five children and eight grandchildren. He also held studios at 4113 North Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak and on East Long Lake Road in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan until 1998. After his death the contents of his studios were gifted to the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University.

Journals, Abstracts and Articles:

Abatt, Corinne. "A Quiet Artist Leaves Giant Footprints." Birmingham-Bloomfield Eccentric, May 12, 1983.

"Alvin Macauley Memorial." American Art in Stone (October 1955): 5.

"An Engineering Art." Friends (March 1948): 8-9.

"Anonymity of a World-Famous Sculptor." Tribune (Royal Oak, Mich.), October 5, 1985.

"Architecture and the Allied Arts—Theme for ASO Convention This Fall." Ohio Architect 8 (July 1950): 9.

"Art—Architect's Choice." Newsweek, July 7, 1952, 53.

"ASO Convention Program Shapes Up." Ohio Architect (August 1959): 17-18.

"Barbour Memorial Fountain, Belle Isle Park, Detroit." Art Instruction 2 (June 1938): 2.

Baulch, Vivian M. "Marshall Fredericks—The Spirit of Detroit." Rearview Mirror (Detroit News Online Magazine), n.d.

Birkenhauer, Tracey. "Life's Art, Marshall Fredericks's Heart Belongs to His Work." The Oakland Press, November 30, 1994.

Brandeis, Adele. "Kentucky Sculpted from Life." The Courier-Journal Magazine, April 18, 1942, 21-24.

"Bronzes for Exteriors." National Sculpture Review 12 (Fall 1963): 20-21.

"Business and the Arts." National Sculpture Review 20 (Winter 1971-72): 20-21.

Chessler, Suzanne. "Sculptured Dreamers." Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, Mich.) December 15, 1994.

Clark, Kenneth. "The Naked and the Nude." National Sculpture Review 22 (Fall 1973): 14-17.

Coir, Mark. "Shaping the Heart of Detroit: The Saarinens' Plans for the Waterfront."
Brochure for exhibition held at the Cranbrook Art Museum, June 2-September 30, 2001.

Colby, Joy Hakanson. "Interview: Marshall Fredericks Talks About His 'Dream.'" Detroit News, June 10, 1997.

"The Dragons of Marshall Fredericks: Meeting the Challenge of Metal and Stone." Detroit News Michigan Magazine, February 28, 1982, 12-13, 16-17, 22.

"Collaboration of Arts and Architecture Feature of Exhibition." Monthly Bulletin, Michigan Society of Architects, The American Institute of Architects 5 (December 1951): 51.

Couch, Frank L. "The Elementary School of Today." Monthly Bulletin, Michigan Society of Architects, The American Institute of Architects 24 (December 1950): 12-22.

"Cranbrook's Contribution to the 'World of Tomorrow.'" Academy News (May 1939).
"Dedicated to the Veterans Memorial Building, Detroit, Michigan." Michigan Architect and Engineer 25 (April 1950): 3-13, plates 30-32, 37.

"Detroit Civic Center Begins to Grow." Architectural Record (January 1951): 100-107.

Dobberowsky, Lisa. "Marshall Fredericks Made Monumental Contributions to Detroit." DAC News (Detroit Athletic Club) 85 (January 2000): 26-27

Dorazio, Arthur. "Sculpture by the Ton." Detroit Free Press Sunday Graphic, October 17, 1948, 2-4.

"Transportation: Story in Sculpture—From Paper to Aluminum." Detroit Free Press Sunday Graphic, May 20, 1951.

Dunitz, Nancy Beth. "A Guide to the Outdoor Sculptures on the University of Michigan Campus." Paper, University of Michigan, July 1980. MFSM Archives.

"Eaton Dedicates World War II Memorials at Seven Plants." The Eaton News (corporate newsletter) 11 (September 1949): 8.

Erbe, Jack. "Fountains Are Beautiful." National Sculpture Review 22 (Winter 1973-74): 23-26.

"Fine Arts Medal Awarded to Detroit Sculptor." Michigan Architect and Engineer 27 (June 1952): 23-24.

Fisher, Marcy. "Photo Safari Captures Fredericks's Treasures." Update, SOS! Save Outdoor Sculpture Newsletter 9 (Spring 1998):15.

"Flexibility—Keynotes New Administration Building for University of Michigan." Weekly Bulletin, Michigan Society of Architects, The American Institute of Architects 22 (October 11, 1949): 3-9.

"Fountain of Eternal Life." Impresario 4 (Fall 1964): 28-29.

Genauer, Emily. "Super-Sculpture." New York Herald Tribune This Week Magazine, September 5, 1954, 9.

Goldner, Elizabeth. "Sculptor Marshall Fredericks—Inspiring Works Are Available to All Who Live in Birmingham." Downtown Birmingham (Spring 1997).

Gruen, Victor. "Art and Architecture." Stone 78 (November 1958): 12-13, 22.

Haight, Jeffrey M. "Saints and Sinners." Paper, Oakland University, Rochester, Mich., November 1985. MFSM Archives.

Hakanson (Colby), Joy. "Detroit Is His Studio." Detroit News Sunday Pictorial Magazine, October 26, 1958, 7-9.

"Fiberglass Sculpture." Detroit News Sunday Pictorial Magazine, April 26, 1953, 6-7.

Harris, N. Neil, and Pat Black. "A Loving Tribute to Sculptors: Brookgreen Gardens, A Personal View." The Numismatist (June 1981): 1468-92.

Horn, Milton. "Five Sculptors of the Midwest." National Sculpture Review 27 (Spring 1978): 8-13.

"Indian River Shrine, Alden B. Dow, F.A.I.A., Architect." Monthly Bulletin, Michigan Society of Architects, The American Institute of Architects (August 1959): 27.
Iorio, Mary E. "A Monumental Life." Cranbrook Journal (Summer 1995): 2-9.

Jensen, Oluf. "Marshall Fredericks, Sculptor." The Nordic News 51 (February 1981).

Journal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada 33 (June 1956): 229.

"Kids Go on Fredericks Art Safari." Birmingham-Bloomfield Eccentric, January 26, 1995.

Klemic, Mary. "Perspectives: Fredericks Exhibit Shares Inspiration." Birmingham-Bloomfield Eccentric, January 19, 1995.

"Sculptor Shows Sensitive Touch." Birmingham-Bloomfield Eccentric, November 17, 1994.

Kraft, Tone. "Norsemen Abroad—Marshall Fredericks of Giant Sculptures." The Norseman 4 (1965): 117-120.

Lantz, Michael. "Public Sculpture . . . The Talk of the Town." National Sculpture Review 31 (Spring 1982): 22-23.

"Seventy-Seven Approaches to Sculpture." National Sculpture Review 32 (Winter 1983-84): 10-15.

Little, Sybil. "A Monumental Sculptor: Life Stories of Artist Stand as Tall as His Work." Oakland Press, March 2, 1997.

Maloney, S. C. "Marshall Fredericks's Monument to Christ." Birmingham Town Hall Magazine 9 (Spring 1960): 10-11.

"Man of the Expanding Universe." National Sculpture Review 45 (Spring 1997): 35.
"Marshall Fredericks's Artistic Fulfillment." Birmingham Town Hall Magazine (Fall 1956): 19-23.

"Marshall Fredericks's Expanding Universe." Impresario 3 (Winter 1964): 12.

"Marshall Fredericks Honored with American Achievement Award." Brookgreen Journal 27 (1977): 4-5.

"Marshall M. Fredericks Creating in Bronze." American Dane (Sept. 1979): 12.

Mc Clean, Evelyn G. "Marshall M. Fredericks, K. D.—Sculptor." University of Windsor Review 6 (Spring 1971): 29-45.

McCay, David. "Miracle in a Bean Field." Detroit Free Press, November 6, 1990.

Merk-Gould, Linda. "Preserving the Artist's Intent: From Which Decade? Marshall Fredericks's Cleveland War Memorial Fountain." Abstracts of Papers Presented at the Twentieth Annual Meeting, American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Washington, D.C. (June 2-7, 1992):14.

"Modern Furniture for Anthropoids." Life, June 20,1955, 59-60, 62.

"The New York World's Fair 1939." New York Times Special Supplement (Fall 1939).

"New York World's Fair." American Art Today. Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: Apollo magazine, 1987.

Noble, Joseph Veach. "Dawn of a New Day: 1939/1940 New York World's Fair." National Sculpture Review 29 (Fall 1980): 22-24.

"Ornamental Aluminum Castings." Modern Metals 22 (April 1966): 36, 38.
Panhorst, Michael W. "Artists' Intent for Monumental Twentieth-Century Outdoor Bronze Sculptures in the United States." Abstracts of Papers Presented at the Twenty-Second Annual Meeting, American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Washington, D.C. (June 6-11, 1994).

"Cleveland's Fountain of Eternal Life Gets 99-Year Lease on Life." Cultural Resources Management 18 (1995): 38-40.

"Marshall M. Fredericks: A Monumental Passion for Life." Scandinavian Review (1998): 40-46.

"Uncovering Artists' Intent for Twentieth-Century Outdoor Bronze Sculptures. Update, SOS! Save Outdoor Sculpture Newsletter 11 (Spring 2000): 20-22.

Pasfield, Veronica. "Marshall Fredericks." Detroit Monthly (November 1992): 64-69, 89.

Pejtersen, Ole C. [Marshall Fredericks, Sculptor, World Class Artist] translation.
Danmarks Posten 3 (June 1986).

"Please Climb the Bears!" Christian Science Monitor, January 13, 1967.

"Presenting the Horace Rackham Educational Memorial." The Foundation, Dedication Issue (January 1942): 8ff.

Proske, Beatrice Gilman. "Brookgreen Gardens Golden Anniversary." National Sculpture Review 30 (Spring 1981): 16-19.

Provenzano, Frank. "Touched by Greatness." Birmingham-Bloomfield Eccentric, February 16, 1998, sec. C, 1.

Putnam, Beatrice Morgan, photographer. "Dynamic Detroit." Industrial Publishing Corporation of Detroit, n.d.

"Recent Dedications." National Sculpture Review 11 (Winter 1962-63): 14-15.

"Renovated Sculpture Rededicated at State." State Magazine (United States Department of State) (January-February 1997).

Salmon, Robin R. "Brookgreen Gardens, Sculpture, Nature, Beauty . . ." National Sculpture Review 40, no. 2 (1991): 20-27.

"Marshall Fredericks: Dean of American Sculptors." Brookgreen Journal 25 (1995): 2-7.

Sawyer, Sally. "Marshall Fredericks, Sculptor." Detroit Home Journal, November 17, 1983.

"Sculptor Marks Ford's 50th Year." Ford Times (February 1953): 48-49.

"Sculpture at the New York World's Fair." National Sculpture Review 13 (Summer 1964): 16-17.

Selden, Florence. "Michigan's Trailblazing Sculptor." Inside Michigan 3 (August 1953): 36.

"The Shrine." Graphic Resorter (Petoskey, Mich.), August 27, 1979, 5-6.

Smith, Terrence. "Marshall Fredericks: Multi-talented Man." The Daily News (Greenville, Mich.), August 16, 1985.

Southwell, William. "Examining the Divine/Human Nature of Christ." National Sculpture Review 36, no. 4 (1978): 14-15.

"Spirit of Detroit Arrives via Seaway." Trucking News (October 1958): 14-15, 24-25.

"Spirit of Detroit Greets President in Motor City." New York Times, October 18, 1960.

Stasak, Marv. "Quiet! Sculptor at Work." Birmingham Eccentric, August 18, 1960.

Stirton, Malcolm R. "In Honor of Those Who Gave Their Lives for Their Country." Monthly Bulletin, Michigan Society of Architects, The American Institute of Architects 24 (October 1950): 7-16.

"Stone." Art and Architecture 78 (November 1958): 13, 22, 24.

"Ten Sculptures of Marshall M Fredericks." Pencil Points 20 (May 1939): 2, 61-64.

"The Work of Marshall M. Fredericks." Monthly Bulletin, Michigan Society of Architects, The American Institute of Architects (June 1956): 20-38.

"To Lift the Spirit." American Dane (June 1973): 4-5, 7.

"Voices of Northeast Ohio." Forbes FYI Magazine (Winter 2000): 12-13.

Walker, Ralph. "The Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain." Pencil Points 18 (February 1937): 92-95.

Watson, Ernest W. "Sculptor to the People, Marshall Fredericks." American Artist 18 (September 1954): 36-40, 67-70.

Weisberg, Gabriel P. "The Educational Thematic Exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art." School Arts (April 1979): 12-14