Entertaining Sites Around LOS ANGELES

Like the Getty Center, the gardens are a delight year-round. Notice how the big perfectly formed bloom sits all perky on top of its skinny little stem.

Here he is again so you can admire his hair.

A strategically placed head…according to the guide this statue, an Olympic athlete cast in bronze, is one of only twelve left of what was once thousands of bronze athletes who graced the plazas of ancient Greek cities and towns.

This is another one of the pieces in dispute. You’ll want to go experience this work while you can!

In Fall with the leaves gone you can more easily see the setting. Out there it’s the Blue Pacific.

Looking out to more of the new space.

A guide discussing one of the mummies.

Whoo, look at these guys.

From the NY Times June 2006, more on the Give It Back It’s Mine story (btw she was found not guilty):
“Prosecutors at the conspiracy trial of a former curator at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles presented on Wednesday photographs of a pair of ancient marble griffins – one of the glories of the Getty’s collection – lying in a car trunk, encrusted with grime and loosely wrapped in newspaper.”

Looking back from the fountain in the Herb Garden.

The very same water feature on another day.

Another view of the arcade.

Aren’t they lovely.

It’s full now and maybe even been trimmed. Actually, I hope they thin it out and put the flowers back!

This is part of the original building which remained intact except for refurbishments. Built in the early 1970s, it is based on the designs of a Roman villa buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

He is hung in almost total darkness, in the mummy room, but what a guy.

The remodel included a greatly expanded Museum Store and Cafe. Are you surprised?

Ciao. See you next time!

In the entry-way of the gallery. Those eyes are historically correct and most of the statuary of this type has them. And when they don’t it’s even creepier because they leave the sockets empty.

Looking back, from another day.

More of the Herb Garden.

…and my favorite statues that line the Inner Peristyle.

A small metal piece displayed in a case.

Ummm, yummy, scarfscarf, dinner!

A lovely stroll back to the parking.

Taking the sun.

An Easter view along the arcade.

A focal point of the East Garden. The trees here are sycamore and laurel.

Entering the Herb Garden from the Outer Peristyle, looking up towards the pathway that leads to the parking.

A mostly exact copy of the original.

I asked about the geometric patterns here in the Inner Peristyle. The guide went on about Romans inventing cement. I’m guessing it has to be appropriate to the era or they wouldn’t have done it.

The colors are not the same as before the renovation but the concept, or so they say, is still correct.

Some detail from the fountain.

From the parking you pass though a series of walkways before arriving at this place:

The Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater.

This 450-seat outdoor classical theater, based on ancient prototypes. I don’t know about ancient prototypes but it’s got might cool lines.

The guide spoke expansively on these pieces – The Poet Orpheus and the Two Sirens. I’ve hopped on to many tours now and each has been informative and entertaining.

They also have for 3 bucks a 30 hour self guided audio tour. You can keep it all day and just wander around. If I ever go by myself I’ll give it a try.

Every floor is magnificent.

Let’s watch them grow up!

The Getty Villa houses the J. Paul Getty Museum’s collection of approximately 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities. Over 1,200 works are on view in 23 galleries devoted to the permanent collection, with five additional galleries for changing exhibitions.

This is the controversial fifth-century B.C. statue usually identified as Aphrodite that the Getty is returning/has returned to Italy. There are other pieces involved in the controversy – the New Yorker did a nice article on the whole story in November 2007 which I think spoke rather well of the currently under siege Getty antiquities curator Marion True.

A fountain in the the Herb Garden. The herb garden contains plants used during Roman times for flavoring food, ceremonial duties, and medicine.

There are plenty of opportunities for PhotoPhoto!

You can’t help but occasionally notice, lovely as it is here, that there is an element of ‘Getty Lite’…

You can click here for more of the 300 types of plants at the Getty Villa.

Generally they position the statuary so you may enjoy it from many interesting angles and being outside these works absorb the qualities of the day. He’s the same as the guy above but from a different angle and on a different day.

Killer water lilies.

From a much bigger piece. Life could be lovely then…

…and nasty, brutish, and short.

With objects dating from 6,500 B.C. to A.D. 400, the collection contains monumental sculptures as well as artifacts of everyday life such as vases, coins, sculpture, and jewelry. Some of the objects, including a mummy, have never been on view.