The Preliminary Sketches and Replicas
A number of preliminary sketches were made. Of these, I believe, only one is now in existence. It is owned by the Reverend William E. Barton of Oak Park, Illinois, who was formerly pastor of the First Congregational Church at Wellington, Ohio. It came into Doctor Barton’s possession in the following manner. In the preparation of his early sketches for the preliminary groupings, Mr. Willard was assisted by Mr. William F. Sawtelle, a photographer of Wellington. Willard gave this original crayon sketch to Mr. Sawtelle. Mr. Sawtelle preserved it, expecting to pass it on to his son. His son died. Mr. Sawtelle was a member of Doctor Barton’s church. Upon the death of his son, Mr. Sawtelle gave this crayon sketch to Doctor Barton. This original rough sketch embodies essentially the ideas wrought out in the oil painting, but naturally it is rough and unfinished. The drummer boy is a head shorter. His face is in the shadow. The dying man is much too prominent in the foreground, a mistake which Willard later corrected. Apart from these points, it lacks altogether the spirit and inspiration which Willard worked into his finished painting.
Apart from the preliminary sketch referred to in the preceding paragraph, Doctor Barton possesses an original painting of “The Spirit of ’76” made by Mr. Willard. This Willard executed in oils and in size thirty-four by twenty-eight inches. This painting was made in 1916 and really constitutes the third and last original painting of “The Spirit of ’76” made by Mr. Willard. The original and the Cleveland replica are full size. This third painting is really executed in miniature. Willard did not attempt to make an exact copy; hence, in this small painting there are many variations from the two larger paintings. It was presented to Doctor Barton. It was painted by Mr. Willard to replace a large photograph of “The Spirit of ’76” which was hanging in Doctor Barton’s home during one of Mr. Willard’s visits. Doctor Barton’s home then being in Oak Park, Illinois. The Reverend William E. Barton was for many years a close personal friend of Mr. Willard, and conducted his funeral services. Mr. Willard died at 4933 Holyoke Avenue, Cleveland, October 11, 1918. The funeral services were held in Cleveland, but the burial was in the Willard lot, among his old friends at Wellington, Ohio.
Doctor Barton also possesses probably the only original sketch made to convey Willard’s original conception of what he intended to call “Yankee Doodle,” the idea of which was entirely changed after he met and talked with Ryder, and a patriotic instead of a humorous conception was decided on. Doctor Barton had asked Willard if he had any of his first sketches that were humorous, to which Willard had replied that he had not preserved any of these. Doctor Barton then asked him whether he had the original idea of the Fourth of July celebration which he had intended to call “Yankee Doodle” sufficiently in mind to make for Doctor Barton a sketch which would embody Willard’s original conception for the painting. Willard replied that he had this original idea well in mind and would be glad to make for Doctor Barton a crayon sketch thereof. A little later Willard made this and in sending this to Doctor Barton, with characteristic humor entitled it “The First Sketch that was made Last.” This sketch does not typify “The Spirit of ’76.” It is merely the forerunner out of which “The Spirit of ’76” was evolved. It is strictly a humorous sketch of Fourth of July musicians marching. The wonderful inspiration developed in “The Spirit of ’76” is entirely lacking. This Willard made for Doctor Barton in 1898.
In 1912 a replica of “The Spirit of ’76” was made by Willard himself. Willard was then 76 years of age. This replica was executed for the City of Cleveland as a special Commission. This is located in a prominent place in the new City Hall at Cleveland. It is fitting that this replica should be available in Cleveland where “The Spirit of ’76” was conceived and executed by a Cleveland artist and painted from Cleveland and northern Ohio subjects. This replica naturally is not as well executed as the original. This would be almost impossible at Willard’s then advanced age. In this replica Willard incorporated a number of changes. The coloring is different. He changed the arrangement of the stars from a circle of thirteen stars to a circle of nine with four stars in the center. He moderated the stride of the men. He changed the wounded soldier in the foreground to a more upright position. He changed the drummer boy. The drummer boy who posed in the Cleveland replica was Willard’s grandson, Williard Connelly, a Cleveland Central High School boy.
In 1917, another artist, James M. Flagg, painted a picture which he entitled “The Spirit of 1917” for which he took Willard’s idea, painting the men to look younger and putting them into modern uniforms, making a few other changes and then taking credit for having originated the picture.
Five hundred copies of this volume were privately
printed, on Alexandra handmade paper, by The
Arthur H. Clark Company at Cleveland
in the month of April, 1926