More fun at the Getty Center on Friday

On Friday I attended my UCLA Extension class on Italian Baroque Painting at the Getty Center.  The instructor took us to the East Building to view the many paintings and some sculpture from the Baroque period.  This included paintings by Italians, but also Spanish, French, German, Dutch and Flemish painters all influenced by Caravaggio who revolutionized painting around 1600 with his used of a light source with shadows (chiaroscuro), action, and realism...even dirty fingernails.  Here are some of the paintings we enjoyed:

The above two views of "Christ Crowned with Thorns" was painted by Gerrit Van Honthorst, Dutch, about 1620.  The artist lived in Rome from 1610 to 1621 where he fell under the spell of Caravaggio's style with theatrical like lighting.

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This painted wooden statue  of Saint Gines de La Jara, 1692 was created by a women and her brother-in-law.  Luisa Roldan, Spanish 1630 to 1706 was the sculptor and Tomas de Los Arens born 1661 was the painter using gold 

"The Vision of Saint Francis of Paola," about 1670 by Bartolome Esteban Murillo, Spanish, 1617-1682

"Lot and His Daughters," about 1622 by Orazio Gentileschi, Italian, 11563-1539

"The Entombment," about 1612 by Peter Paul Rubens, Flemish, 1577-1640
This was probably painted as an altar piece to show the real presence of Jesus's body during the sacrament of Holy Communion...notice the wheat which alludes to the bread of the Eucharist below the body of Christ on the altar.

"Bacchante with an Ape" 1627 by Hendrick Ter Brugghen, Dutch, 1588-1629.  This is derived from a famous painting of Bacchus by Caravaggio and symbolizes the animal nature of drunkenness.

"Saint Bartholomew," 1661 by Rembrandt Harmensz, van Rijn, Dutch, 1606-1669.  This among several paintings on a Rembrandt wall of creations...notice the knife, the instrument of the saint's martyrdom.

I next enjoyed an exhibit of Ansel Adams' Photography "In Focus."  Adams lived from 1902 to 1984 and during the last years of his life he wrote he autobiography and continued experimenting with prints from either negatives that he had taken.

"The Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton Nation Park, Wyoming," 1942 negative, 1980 print.

"Mt. Williamson, Sierra Nevada, from Manzanar, CA," negative 1944; print 1981

"Dogwood Blossoms, Yosemite National Park," negative about 1938; print 1941

"Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, CA," negative 1960, print 1980

The Master at Work

And finally, I went to see the Jackson Pollock mural created in 1943 at the commission from Peggy Guggenheim for her New York City town house.  The 20 foot by 9 foot mural hung in her entryway.  Later she moved back to Europe to a home in Venice, Italy.  The painting would not fit in her home so she gave it to the University of Iowa where it usually resides.  The painting was brought to the Getty Center for restoration 18 months ago when it was re-stretched and restored.

What do you see in this painting? Notice the array of colors on a white background of house paint.