Exploring the Landmarks of Los Angeles, One Monument at a Time
 

Sunday, March 1, 2009

No. 218 - Politi Residence

Politi Residence
 

Politi Residence
c. 1908
845 East Edgeware Road – map
Declared: 6/6/79

Well, there’s not much to be seen from the road of this century-old house. It’s a shame, too, as the city reports not only is this a good example of Craftsman architecture, but it’s also reminiscent of the work of Greene and Greene.

 
Politi Residence
 

The house – at least on this blog – doesn’t sport the name of its builder or original owner, but rather its – and Angelino Heights’ – most famous resident and one of the neighborhood’s biggest boosters, artist/author Leo Politi. Politi moved here in 1973 after living for a dozen years at 415 East Edgeware. Of course, the author’s well-known from his thirty years of living on Bunker Hill (he moved out of the neighborhood in the early sixties when his home was condemned with the rest of Bunker Hill’s buildings).

 
Leo Politi on Bunker Hill, Los Angeles
 
Politi in front of the Castle working on his 1964 book, Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, with nine-year-old Susan Marshall and county librarian Mary Rogers Smith. L.A. Public Library
 

Leo was born in Fresno on November 21, 1908, right around the same time his future home was built. Around six years later, he moved with his family to Italy (unfortunate timing, what with World War I breaking out and all). Leo won a six-year scholarship to study at an Italian art institute when he was just fifteen. In 1931, he returned to Fresno, moving down to Los Angeles soon after. He married Helen Fontes in 1934 after wooing her with a fifteen-cent ring he bought at Woolworth’s. He published his first book, Little Pancho, about a little Olvera Street boy who wouldn’t smile, in 1938.

 
Politi Residence
 
A less obstructed view from the city’s Department of City Planning website.
 

Leo Politi wrote and illustrated about two dozen books. Most of them are for kids, and many of them, including Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street, The Mission Bell, The Poinsettia, Mieko, Moy Moy, The Nicest Gift, Piccolo’s Prank, and Juanita, take place in Los Angeles. Pedro and Juanita were awarded Caldecott Honors while Song of the Swallows received the Caldecott Medal in 1950. Bunker Hill, Los Angeles is a Southern California classic. Criminally, Song of the Swallows is the only one of Politi books still in print, I think. One I’d especially enjoy seeing available is his 1989 book about the neighborhood he loved so much, Angeleño Heights. The book was his last.

 
Angeleno Heights
 

In March 1996, “the Artist of Olvera Street” passed away in the very Angelino Heights home he submitted for landmarking seventeen years earlier, but his memory lives on throughout Los Angeles. We’ve got a Leo Politi Square, Monticillo de Leo Politi Park, and the Leo Politi Elementary School. Fresno, getting in on the act, has its Politi Branch Library, too. And, of course, his Blessing of the Animals mural adorns Olvera Street’s Biscaluz Building (look for the artist’s own dogs, Emmet and Oscar, in the painting). And when you take Spot and Fido to the next Blessing of the Animals on April 11, stroll on over the Leo Politi Tree, dedicated just after Leo Politi Appreciation Month in April 1984 (just keep away Spot and Fido).

 
The Blessing of the Animals Mural
 
The Blessing of the Animals Mural
 
Emmet or Oscar
 

 
Leo Politi Tree
 
The Plaza’s Leo Politi Tree
 

Click here for a list of the many, many, many events held for the Leo Politi 2008 Centennial. Yeah, most – but not all – of them have passed (like last May’s open house tour of Leo’s landmarked house – pictures here), but there are lots of links, often leading to wonderful Politi art.

 

Street view of Politi House

Sources:
Oliver, Myrna “Leo Politi; Author of Children’s Books, Artist” The Los Angeles Times; Mar 30, 1996, p. 18
Rasmussen, Cecilia “Street Artist Tapped into L.A.’s Spirit” The Los Angeles Times; Jan 13, 2008, p. B2

Posted by Floyd B. Bariscale at 11:27 PM  

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10 comments:

Angelena said...
I was so looking forward to this post and as always, you did not disappoint. At one of the exhibits I saw the libretto of a poetic play he wrote for an adult audience, sort of political I think.

I will always love him for the subject matter he chose, and for the sweet humanity depicted in his artwork.
March 7, 2009 10:33 PM
Floyd B. Bariscale said...
Thanks, Angelena. It's a shame his work is mostly out of print. Let's hope parents in Los Angeles are tracking down his books online and in used books stores.
March 7, 2009 11:03 PM
Joan said...
Another great post, Floyd. I saw the Politi exhibit at the LA Public Library and became an instant fan. I so hope someday his family authorizes some good reproductions of his Bunker Hill paintings, I'd love to have a framed Politi print on my walls.
March 9, 2009 8:51 AM
Floyd B. Bariscale said...
Thanks, Joan. I agree about the prints. I think a single volume of his Bunker Hill and Angeleno Heights books would be a hit as well.
March 9, 2009 9:01 AM
Susie said...
Another great post. I looked up Politi on Amazon UK. There's plenty of books - if you want to pay the price. The one I was interested in - the Angelino Heights one - is over £200 ($280).
I love this blog - even though I've never been to most of these place or even heard of them. One day maybe...
March 9, 2009 3:01 PM
Floyd B. Bariscale said...
Hi, Susie. $280? All the more reason for a reprint. The picture I took is of the copy in the main library's rare books collection.
March 9, 2009 3:28 PM
Pasadena Adjacent said...
I guess it's been awhile since I visited last. Yay!! I have Bunker Hill Los Angeles by Leo Politi. It's missing the cover. I think you have a photograph of the cover in your Flikr account. I also have Ed Ruche's Sunset Strip. That one I'm willing to sell but not Leo. Leo Politi has some of his work in the children's section of the South Pasadena library.
March 9, 2009 4:23 PM
Floyd B. Bariscale said...
P.A., you can get a Winnebago for your Ruscha book.
March 9, 2009 5:11 PM
g said...
I wish the books would be printed again.

I'm delighted to see the photos of the murals - I'm going to go see them someday soon.
March 9, 2009 8:46 PM
Anonymous said...
I actually own an original signed copy of his Bunker Hill Los Angeles book full of hand drawn sketches. I'd be happy to share pictures if anyone was interested.
March 13, 2009 11:27 PM

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Floyd B. Bariscale
Los Angeles County, California, United States