Wednesday, October 19, 2011

a walk through the getty villa

Have you been to the original Getty Museum?
The Getty Villa in Malibu?

Do you ever feel a connection to something because you went there as a child.
And it touched you on a level that you can't explain.
But it was mesmerizing.
Awe inspiring?

That was the Getty Villa for me.
In the 7th grade, studying Greek and Roman history
we journeyed from San Diego County up the coast to Malibu.
And I felt like I had traveled back in time.

What I was studying came to life.
I was completely drawn in and fell in love with this place.

On Monday my son's class made a similar journey.

It has been years since I've been back.
So I wanted to capture the essence of our trip.
The beauty in all of these ancient artifacts.

Hang tight..this might be a tad long, but maybe it'll make you feel
like you were on our journey too.
This pool and courtyard is what drew me in as a child.
On this day it was much more foggy and smaller than I remembered it as a child.
But I will never forget walking up into this courtyard
and feeling like it was magical.
 It was this painting, called Spring by Alta Tadema that captured me completely.
So much so I bought a poster and kept it in my room for years.
It's no longer at this Getty, but the new one.  
The detail in it is so beautiful.  I would just sit and study.
Maybe I'm weird, or maybe you get it.
But I can stare at works of art forever, noticing the little details.
You can't see it well here, but the paint looks like it's golden.
And the details are absolutely breathtaking.
This is not my son, but one of the boys I was chaperoning.  
I loved how intently he was looking at these busts.
This was a written calendar for the sacrifices that were needed during the month for a particular city.
Click below to enlarge the description.
There were opportunities to talk about why the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians etc. were amiss in worshipping idols and thinking they needed to ward off evil in death.

And there were opportunities to talk about the gifts the Lord gives. 
And that all creativity comes from Him.

"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship."  
Exodus 31:1-5
All in all it was a beautiful day.
A beautiful drive through the winding canyon roads leading to the coast.
And I pray a memory that will stick as a connection for my son.
It was nice seeing him in his element.
And getting to spend time with just him on this journey back in time.

1 comment:

Mama to AWE said...

I adored visiting the Getty Villa when we lived there! Getting there early and parking beneath the actual villa in the garage (before it quickly filled) also gave me such an intimate feel as well. My favorite were the pools, especially the one just inside before arriving at the courtyard. It was in the center of the room and very shallow; I believe it filled when it rained through a hole in the roof overhead.

Post a Comment