This statue of Franciscan Father Junipero Serra is located in Father Serra Park, a bit of greenspace between the plaza at Olvera Street and LA Union Station.
Fr. Serra is dressed in his traditional Franciscan monk's habit, holiding a crucifix aloft in his right hand. In his left hand he cradles a model of a mission.
From the SIRIS database: (
visit link)
"Fra Junipero Serra, (sculpture).
Artist:
Cadorin, Ettore, 1876-1952, sculptor.
Brackenridge, Marian, 1903- , assistant.
Power, T. F., architect.
California Art Bronze Foundry, founder.
Nelli Art Bronze Works, founder.
Title:
Fra Junipero Serra, (sculpture).
Other Titles:
Father Junipero Serra, (sculpture).
Dates:
Original cast 1930. Replica cast 1931. Installed Aug. 26, 1934.
Medium:
Sculpture: bronze; Base: concrete.
Dimensions:
Sculpture: approx. 8 ft. 9 in. x 2 ft. 2 in. x 2 ft. 4 in.; Base: approx. H. 5 ft. 8 in. x 3 ft. 8 in. x 3 ft. 8 in.
Inscription:
(Bottom of statue, proper left:) E. Cadorin/Santa Barbara. Calif. (Bottom of statue, rear:) Calif. Art Bronze. FNRY. L.A. (Plaques in English and Spanish on front of base:) FATHER JUNIPERO SERRA 1713-1784/BORN ON THE ISLAND OF MAJORCA OFF THE COAST OF SPAIN, FATHER/SERRA WAS ORDAINED IN PALMA WHERE HE TAUGHT FOR FIFTEEN YEARS/BEFORE BEING SENT TO MEXICO AS A MISSIONARY IN 1749. IN 1769/HE BECAME PADRE PRESIDENT OF THE FRANCISCAN MISSIONS IN BAJA/CALIFORNIA THAT SAME YEAR HE ACCOMPANIED GASPAR DE PORTOLA/ON A COLONIZING EXPEDITION TO SAN DIEGO WHERE HE FOUNDED THE/FIRST OF THE NINE MISSIONS HE ESTABLISHED IN ALTA CALIFORNIA;/DESPITE AN INJURED LEG AND CONSTANT PAIN FATHER SERRA LABORED/MIGHTILY IN THE SERVICE OF THE CHURCH AND WAS A MAJOR LEADER/IN THE CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA FOR SPAIN/THIS STATUE WAS ERECTED BY THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS IN 1932 AND/WAS DEDICATED ON THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF FATHER SERRA'S/DEATH ON AUGUST 28 (SIC), 1784 signed Founder's mark appears.
Description:
"Idealized" portrait of Father Serra. He holds a small replica of Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo in his proper left hand, and a cross aloft in his proper right hand. The sculpture is mounted on a two-tiered concrete base. There are two bronze plaques mounted on the front of the base, one is in English and the other is in Spanish.
Subject:
Portrait male -- Serra, Junipero -- Full length
Occupation -- Religion -- Missionary
Architecture -- Religious -- San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo
Architecture -- Religious -- Mission
Emblem -- Cross
Object Type:
Outdoor Sculpture -- California -- Los Angeles
Sculpture
Owner:
Administered by City of Los Angeles, Cultural Affairs Department, Public Art Division, 433 South Spring Street, 10th floor, Los Angeles, California 90013
Located Father Serra Park, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument, Los Angeles, California
Remarks:
The bronze figure is a replica of the one done by Cadorin for the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall in 1930. The replica was commissioned by the Knights of Columbus in celebration of the sesquicentennial of the City of Los Angeles. Architect T. F. Power designed the base, and his assistant was Marion Brackenridge. The sculpture was first installed in a traffic circle at Sunset and Spring streets.
IAS files contain related articles from Los Angeles Times, May 1, 1931; July 26, 1931; June 11, 1932; Aug. 6, 1934; Aug. 26, 1934; and Aug. 27, 1934. IAS files also contain transcript of municipal minutes from July 15, 1931; Aug. 5, 1931; Aug. 12, 1931; May 25, 1932; and Nov. 2, 1932.
Condition:
Surveyed 1994 December. Treatment needed.