Troubetzkoy

The statue, she explained, is the work of Paul Troubetzkoy, who came to Los Angeles in 1917 and was regaled for his skill bringing life to bronze, an equal to Auguste Rodin and a friend of Leo Tolstoy.

Born in Italy and a habitué of high society, Troubetzkoy was popularly known as Prince Troubetzkoy, a title gained from his father, who was a Russian prince.

Desmas, who is co-curating an exhibition of Troubetzkoy’s work at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris next year, was on her way to the premiere of “La Traviata” at the Music Center last Saturday when she made a detour to MacArthur Park.

Even though Troubetzkoy’s commission was private, the work had the city’s approval.

With $50,000 raised among donors, the Harrison Gray Otis Memorial Assn. hired Troubetzkoy, who conceived of the deceased man’s life as a heroic drama.