Central Library, located at 630 W. 5th Street in downtown Los Angeles, was designed by architects Bertram G. Goodhue and Carlton M. Winslow. Constructed between 1922-1926, it was designed to mimic the architecture of ancient Egypt, complete with a tiled mosaic pyramid tower and many beautiful murals throughout. Tragic fires in 1986 destroyed part of the building along with 20 percent of the library's collection, prompting a closure for 6 years while restoration took place. The renovation was completed in 1993, and the library reopened on October 3, 1993. The Los Angeles Public Library is the third largest public library in the United States in terms of books and periodical holdings, boasting over 6 million volumes. It was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1970 - Building #70000136.; Sculptor Lee Lawrie executed three sculptures for the Central Library interior, all part of an ensemble located at the top of the North Staircase. Actually devised by Bertram Goodhue, the subjects relate to the origin of culture in ancient civilizations. Two sphinxes frame the top of the staircase, and a standing figure titled Civilization is placed in a niche opposite the stairs. Probably suggested by a cult statue of Pallas Athena, Civilization is rendered in the stiffly archaic style of 6th cen BCE Greek statuary, while the svelte elegance of the sphinxes seems to hover between New Kingdom Egypt and Art Deco. For these artworks meant to be seen closeup in artificial light, Lawrie makes use of color: black marble and bronze for the sphinxes and two colors of marble, bronze and copper for Civilization. The workmanship on all three sculptures is exquisite and demonstrates why, when given the opportunity, Lawrie generally relied on a team of skilled craftsmen assembled by sculpture fabricator Edward Ardolino. View of three sculptures as seen from the top of the stairway inside the 5th Street side of Central Library. The center statue titled Civilization is flanked by two sphinx statues.
Los Angeles Public Library Central Library (Los Angeles, Calif.) Libraries--California--Los Angeles Sculpture--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments Goodhue, Bertram Grosvenor,1869-1924 Winslow, Carlton M Lawrie, Lee,1877-1963 Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.)
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