World War I signaled the birth of modern war. Weapons, ammunition, machines, and chemical weapons all wreaked havoc on human beings like never before. As a result, millions of men across Europe and America came back with terrible injuries, if they were lucky enough to return home at all.
One person who attempted to right these wrongs was an American woman named Anna Coleman Ladd. She was a sculptor who moved to France with her husband in 1917 and founded the “Studio for Portrait-Masks”. Ladd created masks for men who had been disfigured in battle to give them some semblance of normalcy for the rest of their lives.
Take a look at these photos of Ladd’s incredible work during and after World War I.
Photo Credit: Library of Congress
Take a look at this incredible video that showcases Ladd’s work.