General Harrison Gray Otis Statue (1920)
Paul Troubetzkoy
DESCRIPTION: cast bronze life-size statue of General Harrison Gray Otis, mounted on a 4-foot high granite boulder, accompanied by
This tribute to General Harrison Gray Otis included two companion statue/sculptures, a young soldier (removed), and a newspaper boy (stolen 3/25/2024)1, to reflect General Otis' military and journalistic achievements. Otis served as a captain in the Civil War and later as Brigadier General during the 1899 Philippine-American War. Undoubtedly illustrating his quote on the bronze plaque, "STAND FAST, STAND FIRM, STAND SURE, STAND TRUE," Troubetzkoy depicts Otis in military uniform and in an advancing stance, pointing ahead. Earlier in 1882, Otis became editor and publisher of what later became the Los Angeles Times.
The sculpture of the newspaper boy was recently stolen for scrap metal, having been sawed off at the ankles at 1:30 a.m. by thieves with a truck and wearing reflective vests.1 The life-size cast bronze of a young soldier standing next to the General was removed at an unknown time in the past (see below circa 1920 photograph). According to University of California Libraries data, after the soldier sculpture was damaged by a car, repaired and re-installed in the late 1930s, it was transferred to the basement of the Otis Art Institute where it was discarded.2 The boulder upon which it was mounted, however, is still in place.
1 "Copper thieves strike again, ...", Thomas Curwen. Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2024.2 The Otis Art Institute reported to us in August 2015 that they have no information regarding the soldier sculpture's damage, removal, or location.
- cast bronze life-size statue/sculpture of a newspaper boy (stolen March 25, 2024)
- cast bronze life-size statue/sculpture of a young soldier, mounted on a granite boulder (removed)
This tribute to General Harrison Gray Otis included two companion statue/sculptures, a young soldier (removed), and a newspaper boy (stolen 3/25/2024)1, to reflect General Otis' military and journalistic achievements. Otis served as a captain in the Civil War and later as Brigadier General during the 1899 Philippine-American War. Undoubtedly illustrating his quote on the bronze plaque, "STAND FAST, STAND FIRM, STAND SURE, STAND TRUE," Troubetzkoy depicts Otis in military uniform and in an advancing stance, pointing ahead. Earlier in 1882, Otis became editor and publisher of what later became the Los Angeles Times.
The sculpture of the newspaper boy was recently stolen for scrap metal, having been sawed off at the ankles at 1:30 a.m. by thieves with a truck and wearing reflective vests.1 The life-size cast bronze of a young soldier standing next to the General was removed at an unknown time in the past (see below circa 1920 photograph). According to University of California Libraries data, after the soldier sculpture was damaged by a car, repaired and re-installed in the late 1930s, it was transferred to the basement of the Otis Art Institute where it was discarded.2 The boulder upon which it was mounted, however, is still in place.
1 "Copper thieves strike again, ...", Thomas Curwen. Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2024.2 The Otis Art Institute reported to us in August 2015 that they have no information regarding the soldier sculpture's damage, removal, or location.
LOCATION: northwest corner of MacArthur Park, Wilshire Blvd. and S. Park View Street, MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, California, USA
GENERAL HARRISON GRAY OTIS STATUE:
NEWSPAPER BOY SCULPTURE:
According to Curwen's 4/12/2024 Los Angeles Times article, in 1979 it was discovered that Andrew Azzoni wasTroubetzkoy's model forthe newsboy, mimicing for the sculptor the pose he had used selling newspapers at 11 years old.
YOUNG SOLDIER SCULPTURE: Circa 1920s photograph showing sculpture of young soldier, taken by Charles C. Pierce [source: University of Southern California Libraries; California Historical Society]
