Italian art

From Auction to Gallery: A Major Renaissance Portrait Drawing for the Getty

I find auctions terrifying. Mesmerizing, but terrifying. When a major early Renaissance portrait drawing came up for auction at Sotheby’s in New York a... Read More

Julian Brooks | March 5, 2012

Madonna and Child Visit from Hearst Castle

Paintings by Duccio are astoundingly rare—there are fewer than 15 in existence, the Maestà in Siena being the most magisterial. Much in demand even... Read More

Annelisa Stephan | December 19, 2011

Cellini Gets a Rival

A beautiful bronze Double Head, attributed to the Italian sculptor Francesco Primaticcio, has just joined the Museum’s collection. Though made by an Italian, it... Read More

Amy Hood | October 27, 2011

Question of the Week: Can Love Last Forever?

Can love outlast death? Love and desire sizzle in this sculpture showcasing Venus and Adonis. Venus is desperately in love with Adonis, a handsome... Read More

Nancy DeLucia Real | August 18, 2011

The Italian Showcase

If our globe had a school playground, could you spot Italy? That’s right, the one voted “most popular.” Good-looking, sharp, charismatic. Plus, a rock... Read More

Nina Diamond | June 14, 2011

The Display of Art in Roman Palaces

At a time when we’re accustomed to viewing art in museums—and often in galleries that more or less resemble a white cube—it’s worth thinking... Read More

Gail Feigenbaum and Lisa Cherkerzian | January 25, 2011

Italian Artists’ Books

Highlights from the Getty Research Institute’s collection of Italian artists’ books.

Question of the Week: Is It Better for a Leader to Be Loved, or Feared?

Question of the Week is a series inspired by our Masterpiece of the Week tours, offered daily at 4:00 p.m. Featuring an open and... Read More

Nancy DeLucia Real | November 11, 2010

Inside Brunelleschi’s Dome

Italy is full of extraordinary, breathtaking round-the-corner experiences. You round a corner in Rome and find the Pantheon. In Pisa it could be the... Read More

Ron Hartwig | September 20, 2010

Travel Postcards, 18th-Century Style

Picture this: You’re in the 18th century taking a Grand Tour across Europe, making all the “in” stops such as France and Italy. Before... Read More

Lorena Patlán | August 25, 2010

Leonardo da Vinci, Anatomist

Leonardo da Vinci worked for 25 years on a complete guide to the human form that would have transformed the study of anatomy in... Read More

Annelisa Stephan | June 4, 2010

Welcoming Leonardo to L.A.

More than any other exhibition I’ve worked on, Leonardo da Vinci and the Art of Sculpture: Inspiration and Invention feels historic. To stand there... Read More

Julian Brooks | April 13, 2010