Went back to the Getty today, been there since ten this morning. Very different crowd, lot's of school kids. The amazing thing is, despite the seemingly enormous crowd, the place is so spread out I never got into that blockbuster-show-in-New-York kind of crush.Went back through Tim Hawkinson, Sigmar Polke and John Humble—then hit the bulk of the permanent collection, which is fabulous.
Saw a couple of the finest Degas that I’ve seen anywhere. One I think was called “The Milliners” the other was a portrait of a woman (she may have been in a sanitorium, can't remember). Tons of amazing antiquities—esp.classical sculpture.
A beautiful Van Gogh “Irises”—a couple of great Rembrandt portraits (esp. one of an old man dressed as a soldier, with a feathered cap)—that huge James Ensor painting “Christ’s Entry into Brussels in 1889”—one of my absolute favorite things...a little wood sculpture of a head by Gauguin, with horns.
Such an amazing cornucopia of work, such a great physical setting, and hats off to Richard Meier for the stunning architectural triumph that is the Getty campus. If I lived in Los Angeles, Getty membership would be a must. It’s just one of those places that takes a lot of digging.
I’ve really learned to parcel out my energy in museums over the years. Didn't look at everything, just looked hard at a few things.
