Marshall M. Fredericks Bronze Sculptures Available

Bronze castings of eight of Marshall Fredericks' most popular sculptures are available. These bronze sculptures were cast in limited number editions of 15 each after Mr. Fredericks' death in 1998. Click on the right image to be taken to our secure gift shop to purchase one of these very limited bronzes.

Circus Clown

Left: Location: Marshall M. Fredericks  Sculpture Museum, Saginaw Valley  State University

Right: Circus Clown, 26 3/8" x 11 3/8" x 6 1/2" $25, 000 (4 available)

Many of us remember Fredericks' graceful clowns on the lobby walls inside the Ford Auditorium in downtown Detroit. But one of his earliest creations of a clown was possibly the most rewarding.

In the late 1930s, Fredericks was the assistant to the renowned Carl Milles, Cranbrook Sculptor-in-Residence, and had created Circus Clown. He loved to tell about the day sculptor Carl Milles first saw the sculpture. "Marshall," Milles exclaimed, "I wish I'd done that." Thrilled by Milles' praise, Fredericks considered this the greatest compliment he could have received from his mentor.

Elegant and inviting, Circus Clown beckons us to the mysteries and excitement of the circus. Fredericks' bronze casting captures both his poise and the perfection of his costume. With his arms outspread in welcome,Circus Clown is delicately balanced on a big top, encircled with marching elephants and a circus train.

Two Bears

Left: Location: Michigan Public Library, Sterling Heights, Michigan

Right: Two Bears, 16 1/2" x 14" x 8" $25,000 (10 available)

One of Fredericks' most endearing sculptures, Two Bears, is a testament to the artist's desire to make art that warms the heart and invites the participation of its viewers.

Fredericks once said of Two Bears, "I love animals of all kinds and I did the group, basically, for children. A child's reaction to a sculpture is such an honest reaction; they see through anything that's superficial."

As the life-size Two Bears was installed at the Sterling Heights, Michigan Public Library, Fredericks told his audience of an important objective for this work. "When the noses of the bears are shiny," he said, "I'll know I have accomplished my goal."

Often erroneously called Mother Bear and Baby, Two Bears is also located at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina and Interlochen Center for the Arts in northern Michigan, where it has become a treasured monument for young musicians, parents and visitors.

Boy and Bear

Left: Location: Northland Shopping Center, Southfield, Michigan

Right: Boy and Bear, 11" x 11" x 5 1/2" $15,000 (8 available)

Fredericks' credo was to bring happiness to others through his sculptures. In the early 1950s, shopping centers provided a promising and exciting new way to expand the number of people exposed to his art. Consequently, Fredericks was pleased with the opportunity to create very public, hands-on work for the nationally renowned Northland Shopping Center in Southfield, MI. There his life-size Boy and Bear has enchanted millions of children and parents alike. At Northland, Fredericks' massive bear is a surprising ride for the innocent boy. Perhaps his own small children were Fredericks' inspiration for the boy's happy countenance and confident posture.

The Thinker

Left: Location: Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Right: The Thinker, 13" x 9" x 9" $12,000 (13 available)

A world traveler, Cranbrook Art Museum founder George G. Booth was deeply impressed with Rodin's brooding "The Thinker." Museums had "Thinkers" and Booth wanted one for Cranbrook. So as his museum came to completion in the 1930s, Booth approached Fredericks with a request to make a "Thinker" for its steps.

Naturally, Fredericks felt it was unthinkable to do Rodin's sculpture over again in any form. So with his characteristic humor, he created a chimpanzee that appears to be thinking very deep thoughts. When The Thinker was presented to Booth, the elder gentleman studied it quietly for a few moments. Then, recognizing the idea and the quality of the sculpture, he commented that Fredericks' chimp was probably thinking far more interesting thoughts than were humans.

Siberian Ram

Left: Location: Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, Michigan

Right: Siberian Ram, 9" x 8" x 5 3/4" $10,000 (12 available)

A rare example of Fredericks' exceptional skill in stone carving is Siberian Ram, whose contained power and quiet dignity enhance the entrance of the Baldwin Public Library in Birmingham, Michigan. Bronze castings of Siberian Ram are located at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum.

One of Fredericks' daughters remembers her father explaining to her a little about art. It certainly applies to Siberian Ram. "Monumental," he told the young child, "is when a sculpture is majestic in any size."

Leaping Gazelle

Left: Location: Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan

Right: Leaping Gazelle, 17 3/4" x 6 1/2" x 4" $8,500 (3 available)

The graceful, elegant Leaping Gazelle was designed as the focal point of the Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle in Detroit. Leaping Gazelle came as a result of Fredericks winning first prize in the national design competition for the fountain in 1936. It was the young artist's first commission for a major public sculpture; an important milestone that Fredericks felt helped immeasurably to establish his career.

The gazelle itself is portrayed in a movement called wheeling, which is characteristic of the animal. In the fountain, Leaping Gazelle is mounted on a black granite pedestal in a basin of the same material and surrounded by four granite animals indigenous to Belle Isle (Hawk, Grouse, Otter, Rabbit).

Leaping Gazelle, with its curving contours and smooth surfaces, is considered by many to be Fredericks' masterpiece. The number of full-size bronze castings in public and private collections testifies to its time-tested popularity. Some of these locations include Stavanger, Norway; the Royal Marselisborg Castle in Denmark; Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina; Greenwood Cemetery in Birmingham, MI and Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan.

Ann Arbor Eagle

Left: Location: University of Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
 

Right: Ann Arbor Eagle, 10 3/4" x 6 3/4" x 6 3/4" $5,000 (3 available)

American Eagle is a symbol of victory outside of the University of Michigan stadium. To others, it is the memorial commissioned by the university to honor its students who served in World War II.

Fierce and combative, the American Eagle is an image of courage and strength. As you walk around the sculpture at the university, the dynamic design continually unfolds and changes. Yet the eagle, clutching the laurel wreath in its talons, remains vigorous and vigilant in his defense of the memory of those students who fought and died.

The Spirit of Detroit

Left: Location: Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit, Michigan

Right: The Spirit of Detroit, 12" x 14 1/4" x 4 1/4" $10,000 (8 available)

The sixteen-foot tall figure is at the entrance to the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit, Michigan.

The revenue from the sale of postumous bronzes will be dedicated to the Museum's exhibition endowment. If you are interested in purchasing one of these exquisite bronzes please call 989-964-7154 or email the director of the museum at: mlwheato(at)svsu.edu.