21,000 troops = Woodrow Wilson (1918)
Formation photograph shows soldiers arranged into bust profile of Wilson
Formation photograph shows soldiers of U.S. Army 95th Division, formed September 5, 1918 at Camp Sherman, arranged into bust profile of Wilson.
Arthur Samuel Mole (1889 - 1983) was a British-born, naturalized American commercial photographer. He became famous for a series of "living photographs" made during World War I, in which tens of thousands of soldiers, reservists and other members of the military were arranged to form massive compositions.
Although if viewed from the ground or from directly above, these masses of men would appear meaningless, when seen from the top of an 80-foot viewing tower, they clearly appeared to be various patriotic shapes (via anamorphosis). The key was to photograph the people from the one place where the lines of perspective would resolve themselves into intelligible images. His partner in this endeavor was John D. Thomas. ~ Wikipedia
THE LIVING LIBERTY BELL, COMPOSED OF 25,000 OFFICERS AND MEN IN TRAINING AT CAMP DIX, WRIGHTSTOWN," N. J. This Remarkable Photograph Was Taken on the Afternoon of June 20, Last, When the Entire Cantonment Personnel Was Assembled On the Drill Field in Historic Formation to Which Had Been Applied, with Mathematical Precision, the Laws of Perspective. These Are the Bell's Dimensions in Feet: Length of Beam at Top, 368, Width of Bell at Bottom, 64, Length of Each Bolt, 395, Width of Beam, Top to Bottom, 435, Total Length, Top to Bottom, 580. Due to Effecting a I Correct Perspective, There Are More Than Eleven Times as Many Men in the Beam as in the Bell Itself. (Mole & Thomas)
From: The New York times (New-York [N.Y.]), July 21, 1918
Library of Congress: sn78004456
Above Title: Sincerely yours, Woodrow Wilson 21,000 officers and men, Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, Brig. Gen. Mathew C. Smith, commanding / / Mole & Thomas, 915 Medinah Bldg., Chicago, Ill.
Creator(s): Mole & Thomas, photographer
Date Created/Published: [Chicago, Ill.] : [Mole & Thomas, 915 Medinah Bldg.], [1918]
Medium: 1 photograph : gelatin silver print ; sheet 36 x 28 cm, mount 46 x 36 cm.
Library of Congress: LC-DIG-ppmsca-40861