GETTY

Megan and I and the Dancer

I went to the Getty Museum with my friend Megan and her boyfriend Matt. I had a wonderful time. The tram ride up to the top of the hill was like a ride at Disneyland, which was fun. And everyone that worked at the museum was so nice and helpful which made it enjoyable, except for one of the security people that didn’t want to take a picture with me.

The views were spectacular. Copying the sculptures and paintings like L’air was funny and fun.

L'air (#musepose)

My favorite exhibit was by far the impressionist. I loved the Houses at Bougival in Autumn by Pissarro and found it fascinating to learn that he painted with Monet and Renoir. I also loved Calm at a Mediterranean Port by Vernet and it reminded me of the Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland.

Houses at Bougival in Autumn

Calm at a Mediterranean Port

I loved Degas and his pastels of all the dancers. I thought it was interesting how he transitioned through different types of dance as well, from classical ballet to Russian folk dance. My favorite was the Dancer Taking a Bow, a painting of the classical ballet. 

Russian Folk Dancers

Dancer Taking a Bow (classical ballet)

I also really enjoyed his painting titled Waiting of a young dancer and an older woman. I found the contrast between the two subjects thought provoking. The youthfulness of the young dancer, the happy colors and the beauty of the ballet that she embodies compared to the dark, drab, old figure of everyday life. It is like ballet is an escape from everyday life and that escape makes it even more beautiful.

Waiting

I really appreciated the small bronze sculpture of the dancer by Paolo Troubetzkoy. The attention to detail was astounding and must have been so hard to make out of bronze. He even included fingernails on the dancer’s tiny hands. I also found the contrast interesting in this piece because the bronze and metal is so heavy but the dancer is so elegant and weightless.

Bronze Dancer

The sculptures made me think of how art and science are connected because you must be very scientific to create these pieces from metal. But even the impressionist paintings combine art and science because they create their feeling based on how your brain combines the colors and puts the image together.