Sunday Afternoon in the Plaza de Los Angeles
Artist
Phil Dike
(1906 - 1990)
Date1939
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions29 1/2 x 39 1/2 in. (74.9 x 100.3 cm)
ClassificationsPainting
Credit LineThe Hilbert Collection
Object numberDik-12
DescriptionPhil Dike's engaging depiction of the old plaza that marks the birthplace of Los Angeles is a lively, highly populated work that truly captures a moment in the human history of the city. The Plaza de Los Angeles, adjacent to Olvera Street and across the street from L.A.'s Union Station, is very near the location of the area's original Native American settlement, Yang-na. Later, in 1781, the city of Los Angeles was founded here, as El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles (the City of our Lady, Queen of the Angels). Built in the 1820s, the Plaza at the heart of this historic district was at one time the city's commercial and social center. It was still a bustling place in the 1930s (and it remains so today; the circular Plaza park is still there and still an inviting place to sit, rest and reflect on L.A.'s past and present). In this painting, Dike depicts a variety of people, from the girls in their church school uniforms marching on the extreme right to the street preacher exhorting a man in the left foreground, from a mom resting with her baby to a rally going on in the left background. Park-goers sprawl on the grass or stroll on the shady pathways. What other little human stories do you see here?Phil Dike was one of the most important California Scene painters. He grew up in Redlands and studied at Chouinard Art Institute. From 1935-1945, Dike worked in the art department at Walt Disney Studios, where he contributed to classics such as "Snow White" and "Fantasia." He taught for many years at Scripps and Claremont Graduate School and influenced countless artists.
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