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Samuel Adolph Cashwan (1900–1988) was an American
sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...
.


History

Born Samual Adolf Cashwan to Jewish parents in
Cherkasy Cherkasy ( uk, Черка́си, ) is a city in central Ukraine. Cherkasy is the capital of Cherkasy Oblast (province), as well as the administrative center of Cherkasky Raion (district) within the oblast. The city has a population of Che ...
,
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...
, Cashwan's parents left Russia and emigrated to New York City in 1906. Cashwan began his art studies after the family moved to
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
in 1916. His first exposure to art came from his art teacher, Katherine Conover at Detroit's Central High School. Cashwan then took art course at the John Wicker School of Art in Detroit and later at Detroit City College. In 1918, Cashwan served in the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, c ...
. He was discharged following the end of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
and returned to New York City, where he continued with his art training at the
Architectural League of New York The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture, urbanism, and related disciplines". The league dates from 1881, when Cass Gilbert organized meetings at the Salmagundi Club for ...
. Cashwan then moved to Paris from 1923 to 1926 where he attended the
École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centur ...
under the sculptor
Antoine Bourdelle Antoine Bourdelle (30 October 1861 – 1 October 1929), born Émile Antoine Bordelles, was an influential and prolific French sculptor and teacher. He was a student of Auguste Rodin, a teacher of Giacometti and Henri Matisse, and an important ...
. He returned to Detroit in 1927 and became an art instructor at the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
. Cashwan also served as the head of the sculpture department of the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts until 1942. Cashwan was also employed by the
Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, in ...
(WPA) from 1936 until 1942 as the supervisor of its sculpture and ceramics program. He was to credit the income from these teaching positions to allow art to his own tastes rather than that of the art market. During his time at the WPA, Cashwan created several sculptures for outside display at Michigan State University. At the Olin Health Center, he created
bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
s of the Greek gods
Panacea In Greek mythology, Panacea (Greek ''Πανάκεια'', Panakeia), a goddess of universal remedy, was the daughter of Asclepius and Epione. Panacea and her four sisters each performed a facet of Apollo's art: * Panacea (the goddess of universa ...
and
Hygeia Hygieia is a goddess from Greek, as well as Roman, mythology (also referred to as: Hygiea or Hygeia; ; grc, Ὑγιεία or , la, Hygēa or ). Hygieia is a goddess of health ( el, ὑγίεια – ''hugieia''), cleanliness and hygiene. He ...
. AT one of the University entrances, he created a sculpture of a man, a woman, a horse and several sheafs of wheat. These figures symbolized the university's beginnings as a school of agriculture. In January, 1942, Cashwan exhibited sculptural work at an opening of the
Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, ...
in New York City. Following the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, Cashwan was hired as a designer for General Motors, a position that he held until his retirement in 1965. He moved to
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...
shortly thereafter, where he lived until his death in 1988. Cashwan created two prominent sculptures at the 1966 Oldsmobile Administrative Building in Lansing, Michigan: ''Prometheus'' in the building's lobby and ''Open Cage'' at an important entrance. The
Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, know ...
sculpture signified the spirit of research necessary to industrial progress, and Open Cage signified people working in groups. While Cashwan suggested that his work had been influenced by both Romanesque and Hindu sculpture, as his career progress his work developed along more and more abstract lines. By the late 1930s, his figural work had become very angular, stressing sharp lines and large volumes. His pieces created following World War II were even more abstract, his later ones having altogether abandoned figural reference. Like many of the sculptors of his day Cashwan was endowed with both the skills and the opportunity to work with architects and create architectural sculpture. Buildings adorned by his hand can be found in both
Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, maki ...
and Detroit.


Architectural work

* St. Aloysius Church, Donaldson & Meier architects,
Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
- two Angles on facade 1927 * Water Conditioning Plant, Black & Black architects,
Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, maki ...
, 1938 * Olin Health Center, Ralph Calder, architect,
Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
,
East Lansing, Michigan East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
, 1939 * Abbott Street Entrance Marker,
Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, East Lansing, Michigan 1939 * Edward Denby Memorial, Brodhead Armory, Detroit MI, 1939 * Music Building, Ralph Calder, architect, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 1940 * Student Union Addition, ''
Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, know ...
Frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...
'', Ralph Calder, architect,
Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, East Lansing, Michigan


Public monuments

* ''Brady Memorial'', Belle Isle, Detroit MI, 1928 * ''Abraham Lincoln'', Lincoln Consolidated Schools, Augusta Township, Michigan, 1938 * ''Pioneer Mother'',
Clare, Michigan Clare is a city mostly in Clare County in the U.S. State of Michigan. A small portion of the city extends south into Isabella County. The population was 3,254 at the 2020 census. Clare was settled as early as 1870 and contains two listings on ...
, 1938 * ''Three Musicians'', Michigan State University, East Lansing MI c. 1940 * ''Miller Memorial'', Kellog Building, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1940


References


Additional sources

* Barrie, Bentley, Helms and Raspond'', Artists in Michigan: 1900-1976'', Wayne State University Press, Detroit 1989 * Brunk, Colby, Jacobs et al., ''Arts and Crafts in Detroit 1906-1976: The Movement, The Society, The School'', Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit MI 1976 * Colby, Joy Hakanson, ''Art and a City: A History of the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts'', Wayne State University Press, Detroit MI 1956 * Doyle, Right Reverend John M., ''Saint Aloysius Church: The Old and the New'', Centennial Publishing Company, Detroit 1930 * Hendry, Fay L., ''Outdoor Sculpture in Lansing'', iota Press, Okamos, Michigan 1980 * Kvaran, Einar Einarsson, ''Architectural Sculpture in America'', unpublished manuscript * Miller, Dorothy C., ed. ''Americans 1942: 18 Artists From 9 States'', Museum of Modern Art, New York 1942 * Smith, Dorothy Hitchingham, ''Footsteps From the Past'', mimeographed booklet 1975


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cashwan, Samuel 1900 births American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent Ukrainian Jews Jewish sculptors Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States People from Cherkasy Wayne State University alumni 1988 deaths University of Michigan faculty Federal Art Project artists American alumni of the École des Beaux-Arts 20th-century American sculptors 19th-century American sculptors 19th-century American male artists American male sculptors 20th-century American male artists