Escape to the Getty Center Museum

Malibu Trekker @ thecityedition.com ----- Post #7 - June 9, 2010

Escape to the Getty Center Museum

Cont. from Page 1

It's too bad that paintings and sculptures are invariably regarded as the same kind of mental trash with which the opera viewed. This is a mistake. You get a much better handle on the past with these contemporary visuals than you do by reading a history book. Art can bring to life the sweep of time in three dimensions. And the artifacts frequently deliver a lot more than a view.

Landscape with Calm.

For instance, with that volcano smoldering in the background of the photo above, the scene sure doesn't look that calm. A painting like this allows you to step into the mindset of somebody living in the past. And then realize that our ancestors in antiquities were not as backward as we'd been taught to believe. One day when I visited the Getty, there was an exhibit explaining how bronze sculpures were made. I'd never really thought about the process before, and it turns out to be pretty ingenius.

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Recreating the Juggling Man. Rough-cast with clay. Then a wax cover. Then bronze (copper + tin) is applied at the foundry.

Below is an item from a book collection emanating from the Muslim world. Crusaders and templars hauled tons of these manuscripts back to Europe during the Middle Ages. The exhibit explained how the scientific knowledge of the ancient world was gathered up into vast libraries and translated from multiple languages. That enabled scientists of the day to capitalize on the inventions of other cultures, rather than just re-inventing them over and over. Interestingly, the Muslim stash included ancient Greek works from Plato and others that would never have otherwise survived the march of time.

Returning to the paintings, the Getty collection includes works from Rembrandt, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet and all the rest of that famous crew. The skylights in the buildings sometimes cast an invasive glare on these scenes, but a few came out alright when I photographed them . See for yourself:

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Left top: Coast View of the Abduction of Europa. Right top: Venus and Adonis.

Bottom top: Shepherd with Flute. Bottom right: The Music Lesson.

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Lest I leave out Mr. Van Gogh...

Irises.

While it's but a tiny taste of the Louvre, the Getty Museum provides more than enough of an appetizer to satisfy the discerning palate. And did I mention that the admission is free? Just think of all the money you save not going to Paris. Although... now that I consider it, Europe can be relatively affordable in the off season. If you know where the cheap lodgings lie along the subway line, it can be real bargain.

Paris Trekker, anyone?

M.T.

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