Explore the History of this artwork, The Spirit of Detroit.
The sculpture was commissioned on August 2, 1955 for a cost of $58,000 (equivalent to $415,000 in 2022).  Fredericks considered the statue to be part of his civic responsibility and waived the commissioning cost.  As part of the design of the divine elements of the sculpture, Fredericks met with several religious groups.  Fredericks shipped a scale model from the United States to Oslo, Norway for casting.  After casting, the sculpture underwent acidic treatments for several weeks to oxidize the bronze and to create the warm, aged green color.  The thickness of the bronze is 3/8 inches up to 1.5 inches.  Steel framework was constructed to protect the sculpture during transport.  Additional protection for the sculpture was provided using wooden beams, wooden platforms, and burlap covering, for a total shipping weight of 12 tons.  For shipping, the sculpture was placed facedown onto a wooden platform.  The sculpture was transported by the Fjell Line, who chartered the German freighter Thomas Schulte.  After the 4,800 mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean and through the Saint Lawrence Seaway, the freighter arrived at the Port of Detroit on September 20, 1958.  The Thomas Schulte was the only freighter with sufficient below deck storage space to accommodate the sculpture while still being able to navigate the Saint Lawrence Seaway.  As part of the shipment, four miniature scale models of the sculpture were included to aid with customs clearance.  The sculpture was delivered to the Detroit City-County Building (now the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center) and installed onto the marble base for the September 23, 1958 dedication ceremony.The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum has the original plaster head for The Spirit of Detroit, as well as a quarter-scale plaster model.The sculpture has regular maintenance, as well as restorations.  Once a year, the sculpture is cleaned with non-ionic, biogradable detergents and customized petroleum-based waxes are used for protection.  The annual maintenance also includes applying heat to the bronze surface and cupric nitrate in order to preserve the green color and patina.  In 1984, the sculpture was covered in plastic while the marble panels behind the statue were replaced.  The statue underwent a restoration in 2006, funded by foundations and other private donations.  For the sculpture's 50th anniversary, funds from operational savings and energy conservation totalling $170,000 were used for restoration improvements.  In 2018, the sculpture had routine maintenance completed which involved touching up the green patina, as well as the gold figures and sphere.  On September 21, 2018, the City of Detroit had a ceremony to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the sculpture.In 2017, Spirit Plaza was initially constructed and subsequent upgrades completed in 2019 and paid for by $800,000 in bond funds have yielded a 20,000 square-foot plaza with a playground, stationary musical instruments, tables, chairs, vehicle charging stations, and drinking fountains.In 2013 art dealer and art historian Eric Ian Hornak Spoutz was quoted in The Detroit News stating that the value of the statue is in excess of $1 million.  In 2017, the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority said that based on the most recent appraisal of the sculpture, it would cost $6 million to repair significant damage.
Detroit Saint Lawrence Seaway bronze The Detroit News Coleman A. Young Municipal Center Eric Ian Hornak Spoutz Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum