Painting over the past
In 1931, at the age of 22, artist Leo Politi left Italy and came to Los Angeles by way of the Panama Canal. He was deeply influenced by the rural cultures of South and Central America, which informed his artwork throughout his lifetime. Politi settled in LA’s Bunker Hill. He became a figure on nearby Olvera Street, where he frequently sketched and painted, selling his work amid the other vendors. Decades later, he would paint his well-known mural The Blessing of the Animals, which still stands today in Olvera Street’s Paseo de la Plaza.
Politi made a name for himself in children’s literature. His illustrations capture Olvera Street, Bunker Hill, and Angelino Heights long before a freeway cut through Downtown and the neighborhood’s charming Victorian homes were razed to make way for the high-rises of today. In 1950, he won the prestigious Caldecott Medal for Song of the Swallows, his illustrated children’s book about the long annual journey of the swallow from Mexico to San Juan Capistrano.
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Address South Pasadena Public Library, 1100 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030, +1 626.403.7340 | Public Transport Gold Line to South Pasadena/Mission Station, then a .2-mile walk | Getting there Unmetered street parking | Hours Mon–Wed 11am–9pm, Thu–Fri 11am–6pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 1pm–5pm| Tip The ever-changing window displays at Koi (1007 Fair Oaks Avenue, South Pasadena, CA 91030) never disappoint. The women’s clothing and accessories inside are equally fabulous.
Less well known is Politi’s mural at the South Pasadena Public Library. Politi originally painted the scene on a series of panels inside the children’s section of the library in 1957 for $200. In 1982, after the library underwent extensive remodeling, Politi returned to freshen up the mural, offering his service free of charge. But instead of restoring the painting, Politi completely reworked it, controversially creating a brighter palette and slightly altering the scene. He replaced the cat with a dog, and painted over the original ochre hues (which were reflective of his early works, such as Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street) with the vibrant blues and greens he favored later in his career.
In tribute to the legacy of Politi, who passed away in 1996, the library unveiled a newly cast bronze Politi sculpture, which can be seen at the Oxley Street entrance.
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