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www.lapl.org/newsroom/hollywood

Historic Film Posters from Library Collection Exhibited
Through March 8, 2009, at
Central Library, Downtown

Selected Posters are from 1910–1940s and Feature Illustrations of
John Barrymore, Fay Wray, Spencer Tracy & Many More

 

Historic posters portraying the early days of Hollywood movies with beautiful women, mysterious men and intriguing plots are on display in the exhibit “The Fine Art of Film Posters: Selections from the Los Angeles Public Library Collection,” at the Central Library’s First Floor Galleries, 630 W. Fifth St., downtown, through March 8, 2009.  The exhibit is free and open to the public during regular library hours.

The posters in the exhibit are part of a collection that was devastated by an arson fire, which destroyed the Frances Howard Goldwyn - Hollywood Regional Branch Library in 1982.  With the help of the community and a $4-million contribution from Samuel Goldwyn Foundation, the collection was restored and a new branch was constructed.  It opened in 1986 and is named in honor of Goldwyn’s mother, who frequently used the original library.

“The movie posters in this exhibition teach us the enduring value of ephemeral objects and these vivid illustrations remind us of the magnetism of yesteryear’s matinee idols,“ said Anne Coco, exhibit curator.  “Many of these early artifacts document not only the period, but a process that has been largely the domain of fine art printing.”

All but one of the exhibit’s 26 posters utilized the stone lithography art technique to capture Hollywood movie history from 1910 to the early 1940s.  Stone lithography images were created by hand-drawing illustrations directly onto large limestone tablets – one for each color. The tablets were then used as the printing surface creating a rich luminescence.

The exhibit’s posters illustrate memorable stars such as John Barrymore, Lena Horne, Spencer Tracy, Clara Bow and many actors whose names and film titles have been long forgotten.

“The Fine Art of Film Posters” exhibit is free and open to the public during library hours:  Monday – Thursday:  10 a.m. – 8 p.m.;  Friday and Saturday:  10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; and Sunday: 1 – 5 p.m.  The library is closed holidays.  For more information, visit www.lapl.org/events or call (213) 228-7500.

This exhibit is sponsored by Farmers Insurance Group and made possible by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. To support the Los Angeles Public Library, call (213) 228-7500 or visit www.lfla.org.

The Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest urban population of any library in the country.  Its Central Library, 71 branch libraries, more than six million books and state-of-the-art technology provide everyone with free and easy access to information and the opportunity for life-long learning.

The Central Library is located in Council District 9, represented by Councilmember Jan Perry.

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