Marshall M. Fredericks
The sculptor behind The Spirit of Detroit, with a whole museum of his work in Saginaw.
This artist's work is shown through the museum and artist links on this page while it remains under copyright or awaits a permission-cleared image.
Fredericks was born in Rock Island, Illinois, trained at the Cleveland School of Art and studied with Carl Milles in Sweden. He taught at Cranbrook from 1932 until he enlisted in 1942, and kept studios in Royal Oak and Bloomfield Hills.
His first major public commission was the Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle in 1936. The Spirit of Detroit was installed at what is now the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in 1958, and has become one of the city's best-known images.
His public work can be found across Michigan, from Port Huron to Indian River. His estate gave the contents of his studios to the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum at Saginaw Valley State University.