Event 3 : Getty Museum

I went to Getty Center last Friday and was fascinated by both the exterior design and the art works on display. The Getty Center is designed by Richard Meier. To get to the Getty Center, we had to take a tram. The tram moves the visitors 3/4 of a mile up to the hill. This 5-mins ride is 881 feet above sea level. The purpose of the design is to give visitors the feeling of "being elevated out of their day-to-day experience", says Meier. I really felt that way!

After we got off the tram, we came upon a flight of stairs with statues on the side, which already introduced the artistic theme of the Getty Center to us before actually entering the exhibition.
Inside the museum entrance hall, there were audio guides available and map guides in different languages.

Below is a picture of the landscape design of the upper part of the Getty Center. We can clearly see where each of the main buildings is.

As we exited the museum entrance hall and walked past the Exhibition pavilion, we saw the brilliant view to our right. It was a great experience to see how the architect combined nature in between the buildings. We decided to walk down and explore the central garden. The garden has a maze on water. The water pond is also surrounded by different plants. According to the Map Guide, "At the bottom of the Central Garden, water cascades over a stepped stone wall into a reflecting pool with a maze of 400 azalea plants." Surrounding the pool is a series of specialty gardens that exploit the interplay of light, color, and reflection. 

After visiting all the pavilion, I have decided to choose a few of the collections which I found really interesting. The first one is this big Vase in the South Pavilion. This monumental vase was first exhibited at the Exposition Universaille in Paris in 1889. The fantastic imagery was reminiscent of the art from the late 1890s, yet its overall shape and form was based on an ancient roman mixing vessel which the artist drew during a visit to the archaeological sites in Naples in 1877.

What is fascinating about the painting below is that the horse was painted with such care that one can discern the individual hairs of his flowing mane and tail. He cast a penetrating eye towards the viewer, illustrating his sense of dominion over humans and nature. According to the description, the stallion is probably the famed Lipizzan breed, known for their stocky Proportions and grayish-white color. 

This is a sculpture of Venus by Joseph Nollekens, depicting Venus and two other goddesses in a different stage of undress, with draperies and accessories that enhance their sensuality. The three figure were commissioned by Charles Watson-Wentworth in order to narrative group interacting with the shepherd Paris. According to Greek myth of the Judgement of Paris, the shepherd had to declare which of these three goddesses was the most beautiful. Venus won the contest. 

The picture below is a portrait of Louis XIV, the "Sun King", from Rigaud's workshop. Louis XIV's court adored Hyacinthe Rigaud, who helped to formulate what a state portrait should be. According to the description, "While Rigaud made a credible likeness of the king, his purpose was not to express Louis's character but to glorify the monarchy. Louis XIV's ceremonial robes, elegant stance, and haughty expression proclaim his exalted status"  Despite the size of the portrait, Rigaud still paid much attention to the details, for example, the details of the King's costume and his shoe buckles. The original Portrait of Louis XIV of 1701 was so popular that Rigaud had many copies made. 

I was really fascinated by the portrait of Louis XIV, because I had the opportunity to see the original copy at the Louvre previously. After looking the portrait, I entered a room filled with tapestries (like the photo below has portrayed). The tapestries were really detailed and full resemble the prominence of France during Louis XIV's era. In front of the tapestries, were statues and original French furnitures. 

After enjoying the South Villa, I went outside and was intrigued by the beautiful view of the city of Los Angeles. The photo below is a picture of me and the city which I have come to love after living here for three years. 

It was a very fruitful experience visiting the Getty Center. I not only had a chance to enjoy the beautiful view of the city but also was fascinated by many of the artworks in exhibition and from the collection. If I have time in the future, I will definitely visit again and refresh my mind from academic and social obligations with these beautiful collections of art and the view of LA.