My Little Corner of the Net

Monday, August 20, 2012

Getty Museum - oui!

 I have not had a chance to work on miniatures in quite a while, but I have been able to get in a little "research" while on the road.  My wife and kids and I, just finished a multi-state road trip before the start of school last week.  My wife and I were able to visit the Getty museum just outside of Los Angeles.  It was truly amazing and it was free!


This French room dates from the mid 1700's and was taken apart, numbered and installed in the French wing.  The floors, wall panels, and ceiling were beautiful - and yes, so was the chandelier and the period furniture.


 This French room had a chandelier that dates from the early 1800's.  The inspiration for the light was a hot air balloon and the crystal bowl on the lower section was designed to hold live gold fish!

 My wife and I joked about which bed we should buy for our home back in Oklahoma.  This pink room also had some great asymmetrical wall sconces dating from the mid 1700's.


 We settled on the blue bedroom set from the 1780's.  Complete with ostrich plumes.  It reminded me a bit of the Queen's bedroom in the Queen Mary's Dollhouse.  I also liked the woodwork that housed the curtains in the room.  They let the furniture take center stage.



For those of you who are not familiar with the museum, I found this photo online.  It is a great piece of modern architecture atop a hill, overlooking Hollywood and Los Angeles.  Visitors park below ground in a parking structure and take a tram ride up the hill to the museum complex.  Each building houses different periods of art.


 This was me next to a piece of modern art with the main courtyard in the background.


There was a model of the museum for the blind there.  It was pretty impressive.  It was constructed of sturdy metal so that one could feel the architecture of the museum and get a little taste of what they may not be able to see.  If you look close you can see braille on the buildings.

19 comments:

  1. Great inspirational photos and what a great idea having a model of the museum with braille.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Margaret,
      I was impressed with the model too. I teach a model building class and in my career, I had not ever seen one designed for the blind.

      Delete
  2. It must be a wonderful Museum, pictures samples are wonderful!

    A big hug!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful photos! Thank you for sharing!
    Kikka

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Troy,
    Thank you for sharing these nice pictures. We'll never see this during our life because I don't want to sit in a plane longer then 4 hours.
    Kind regards Dorien.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Troy,
    How wonderful. That must of been an awsome trip. Thank you for sharing the pictures. The furniture is just woinderful and I think you chose the perfect bed. Well done :)
    All the best,
    Giac

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Giac,

      It was a great trip, I had to download all of the pictures off my camera, nearly 700, and it took all day! Perhaps I will attempt to copy that bed someday? Thanks for the note.

      Delete
  6. Hello Troy!
    Great Post! I have only seen the Getty Museum online so I am envious of your visit. The "French" rooms are exquisite indeed.....and yes, the "Blue Plummed Bed" is the one! Thank you for giving us this mini tour. BTW is see in your "Labels" list a "Petite Princess" reference. Do you collect Petite Princess?
    Good Wishes from Ray

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ray,

      The Getty was great, There are also some really great paintings there.
      Petite Princess - I have have the 4 room vinyl house and few pieces of Petite Princess furniture, but I have not committed to full out "collecting" lol I guess it is the start of a collection. http://tulsatinystuff.blogspot.com/2011/12/petite-princess-house.html Off Topic - Your comment reminded me of a funny moment - I was at a Liberace impersonator show and he was commenting about all of the jewelry on the ladies in the front row - he called theirs a "starter set" then flashed some giant "bling" of his own. Do you collect it?

      Delete
    2. Hello again Troy!
      I do indeed have every piece of "Petite Princess" except for the bathroom set. A miniaturist friend of mine sent me a couple of pieces years ago to get me interested and the rest is E-bay history........My friend was featured in Miniature Collector magazine for making a "Petite Princess" penthouse apartment... and I took inspriation from that and made my own. I remember these pieces from my childhood first seeing them in 1964.....oops that makes me OLD!
      Again great "Getty Pictures"
      Ray

      Delete
  7. What beautiful rooms and photographs. I love the bed from the blue room. Thanks for sharing =0)

    ReplyDelete
  8. That blue bed is amazing, but I think I would constantly dream about it falling on me. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe the ostrich feathers help keep it afloat ? :)

      Delete
  9. Hi, Troy!

    I'm hoping to get to the Getty on my next trip to LA and your photos of the French rooms are egging me on!

    My favorite Liberace line: LIBERACE: Here are my rings, do you like them, ladies and gentlemen? Well, you should! Your tickets paid for them!"

    BTW, did you hear, Phyllis Diller passed away yesterday? :(

    ReplyDelete
  10. I saw that about Phyllis - she lived a long life. R.I.P. There is so much more to see at the museum than a few French rooms.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi,
    lovely fornitures. Do you happen to know if they are the original ones or a modern copy? Are they from a French old house/palace or from an American one?
    Thanks to satisfy my curiosity :(

    Carina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here are a few of the pages from the museum's website:
      http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=6778

      http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=7106

      http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=6264



      Delete
  12. I thought these were pictures of 1:12 rooms until I saw your wife standing next to that bed. The French really danced a fine line between elegance and gaudiness didn't they.....

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great trip! What I want to know is if the fish in the chanderlere ever boiled? ;0
    CM

    ReplyDelete