I’ve previously discussed J.P. Getty and his great museums on this blog and today would like to focus on the first of his museums, the Getty Villa in Malibu.
While he was despised by many during his lifetime, J.P. Getty has left the world a wonderful legacy. Getty was one of the world’s first billionaires who, like Bill Gates, was the richest man in the world during his time. Getty, an unpleasant but highly successful businessman, was a passionate collector of antiquities and art. Collecting art became the center of his life. His view towards his hobby is summarized by his quote, “The beauty one can find in art is one of the pitifully few real and lasting products of human endeavor.”
East Garden, Getty Villa
Getty wanted others to share in his passion, so he started opening his home to others and later began creating museum(s) to house his art. His personal collection formed the basis of the two museums in Los Angeles that bear his name, the J. Paul Getty Museum in West Los Angeles (Brentwood) and the Getty Villa in Malibu. His estate left $661 million to the Getty Trust in 1976 and that money has been wisely invested, used to buy numerous additional pieces of art and to create places for its presentation. The Getty Trust’s work has expanded to include education and art preservation. The trust is still very well funded, even after the massive expenditures required to build these to world class galleries, and it looks like its work can continue for decades to come.
Victorious Youth, 300 BC (Greek), Getty Villa
Getty himself supervised the construction of his first museum during the 1970s, the Getty Villa, on his property in Malibu near his home. The Getty Villa is modeled after a first-century Roman country house, the Villa dei Papiri, in Herculaneum, Italy. Getty’s Villa is situated just above the Pacific Ocean. It’is a beautiful building with magnificent grounds and gardens. Sadly, Getty never saw the completed Villa he spent so much effort and money to build. Today it houses the antiquities portion of Getty’s collection, including Greek, Roman and Etruscan pieces (modern works are housed in the Getty Museum in nearby Brentwood). Admission to the Villa is free. You need to reserve your admission (no charge), and you must pay for parking, a comparative bargin. It will take at least a half day to enjoy the facility and have a cursory look at its collection.
I hope you enjoy this fabulous place! I certainly did.
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