Getty Villa and Antiquity
Getty Villa is interesting because the museum environment itself is built around the idea of an ancient villa. The collection focuses on Greek, Roman and Etruscan art, while the display helps place objects not only in cases but within the architectural logic of an ancient house.
Sandal-shaped lamp,1st century AD,Getty Museum.
A young woman in a house tunic and a wrapped head. Getty Villa. 9 BC-14 AD
Ceremonial helmet Made in Southern Italy. Bronze. Shot at the Getty Villa in Malibu,California. 350-300 BCCollection and Significance
Getty's official pages emphasize the connection between the Villa, its antiquities collection and the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum. The museum is useful both as a collection of objects and as an example of explaining ancient interiors to a modern viewer.
Main Materials
- Greek, Roman and Etruscan objects;
- small sculpture, lamps, vessels and jewellery;
- helmets and military-related objects;
- the architectural context of a Roman villa;
- Getty's open images and publications.
Context and Limits
Getty Villa is especially useful for daily life, interiors, cult, symposium culture and visual presentation of an ancient house. For military topics it provides individual parallels rather than complete kits.
Related Topics
Sources
Mosaic bowl. Location: J. Paul Getty Museum,Los Angeles. 1st century BCSandal-shaped lamp,1st century AD,Getty Museum.
Falera from Southern Italy. Metropolitan Museum of Art,New York. 3rd century BCInterested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
