Los Angeles City Hall

Rising 27-stories, the Los Angeles City Hall stands as a beacon on the city’s skyline and is regarded as one of the most significant and recognizable local landmarks. Befitting a building of this stature, the interior is richly finished with elaborately executed decorative paintings that adorn the ceilings throughout.

The notable early 20th century decorative painting team of Herman Sachs and Antony Heinsbergen employed a range of decorative treatments including murals painted on canvas that were mounted to the ceilings, polychromatic stencil bands executed freehand directly on the plaster ceilings, and the abundant use of glazes and gilding. In response to these finishes, Powers & Company, Inc. undertook an original finishes analysis, developed procedures for the cleaning and conservation of decorative paint surfaces and supervised the cleaning and decorative painting of the ceiling murals.