Recently I visited the Getty Villa with my parents. To give
some background, the Getty Villa exists thanks to the oil tycoon J. Paul Getty,
and was built since the other art gallery that he had opened started to run out
of room. The architecture and landscaping of the Getty Villa was based on
ancient Greek, Roman and Etruscan buildings. These stylistic influences are
very appropriate considering the over 40,000 Greek, Roman and Etruscan
artifacts and art pieces the museum houses. The Villa also houses jewelry and
coin collections.
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| My Dad and I at the entrance to the Getty Villa |
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| Taken by me |
I was most astounded by the location itself. A large
fountain stretched out across one of the lawns, glimmering in the sunlight.
Fountains with intricately carved faces spouted water as the sharply trimmed
shrubbery shone with an electric green glow. Full-size statues of Greek deities
stood prominently cracked and weathered by time.
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| Taken by Me |
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| Taken by Me |
However, the most important feature of the Getty Villa is
its role as a time capsule. It holds ancient artifacts from a time when science
and art were indistinguishable. The Getty Villa is a place where past and
present converge. The Villa brings to life a time where science was coming into
being and had a reciprocally-dependent relationship with artwork, a time where
great philosophers such as Aristotle were using their scientific and artistic
knowledge to make sense of their existence.
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| Taken by Me |
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