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Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection
Central Library exterior
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Central Library exterior
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Description
Order Number
00043262
Title
Central
Library
exterior
Collection ID
Los Angeles Public Library Institutional Collection
Location/Accession
LAPL_IPC_b004_f2
;
N-002-455
8x10
I
Physical Description
1
photograph
:b&w
Historical Data
The
system
of
meaning
that
organizes
the
exterior
and to
some
extent
interior
art
of
Central
Library
was
conceived
by
University
of
Nebraska
philosophy
professor
Hartley
Burr
Alexander
who
first
collaborated
with
library
architect
Bertram
Goodhue
on the
Nebraska
state
capitol
building
. The
Flower
Street
facade
exemplifies
the
sophistication
of
Professor
Alexander’s
layered
program
of
linked
symbols
. At the
facade’s
upper
edge
appears
the
last
line
of a
passage
in
Latin
from
Lucretius
Book
11:79
:
ET
QUASI
CURSORES
VITAI
LAMPADA
TRADUNT
which
freely
translated
says
,
“Like
runners
they
bear
on the
lamp
of
life.”
Directly
below
a
relief
of
horsemen
passing
a
torch
embodies
the
quote
. The
remainder
of the
facade
carries
out
the
theme
of
illumination
.
Two
monumental
sculptural
figures
,
Phosphor
and
Hesper
,
personify
the
morning
and
evening
stars
.
Beneath
each
figure’s
feet
,
emblematic
representations
of
sunrise
(associated
with
Phosphor)
and
sunset
(Hesper)
suggest
the
cardinal
points
East
and
West
. This
abbreviated
symbology
in
turn
expands
to
suggest
a
whole
history
of
knowledge
engraved
on
scrolls
listing
great
writers
and
thinkers
divided
between
East
(Asia
and the
Middle
East)
and
West
(classical
cultures
and
Europe)
. Here in
Alexander’s
own
words
,
first
the
left
and then
righthand
scroll
listed
“founders
of the
five
great
Oriental
religions--Moses
,
Zoroaster
,
Buddha
,
Confucious
,
Mohammed--and
second
, of the
sages
of the
Eastern
nations
,
Lao
Tse
for
China
,
Hillel
for the
Jews
,
Avicenna
for the
Persian
and
Algazali
for the
Arabian
Mohammedans
, and
Badarayana
for the
Indian
metaphysicians.”
Description
Exterior
sculptures
of
Phosphor
and
Hesper
,
designed
by
sculptor
Lee
Lawrie
are
show
prior
to their
installation
on the
west
facade
of
Central
Library
.
Subject
Central Library (Los Angeles, Calif.).
Los Angeles Public Library.
Libraries--California--Los Angeles.
Statues--California--Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments.
Lawrie, Lee,1877-1963.
Downtown Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Calif.).
Format
Photographic prints
Reproduction Information
Images available for reproduction and use. Please see the Ordering & Use page at
http://tessa.lapl.org/OrderingUse.html
for additional information.
Sub-Collection Name
Los Angeles Public Library Institutional Photo Collection
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