All events are free, unless otherwise noted. Call (310) 440-7300 for reservations and information.

Curator's Gallery Talks

One-hour talks about the exhibition by Getty Museum staff. No sign-up needed; meet under the stairs in the Museum Entrance Hall.

Brian Considine, Conservator, Department of Decorative Arts and Sculpture Conservation
Tuesday, January 17, 1:30 p.m.

Catherine Hess, Associate Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Thursday, February 16, 1:30 p.m.

Arlen Heginbotham, Associate Conservator, Department of Decorative Arts and Sculpture Conservation
Tuesday, March 21, 2:30 p.m.

Viviane Meerbergen, Project Specialist, Department of Education
Thursday, April 6, 2:30 p.m.

Seminar

Unearthing the Past: The Reinterpretation of a Remarkable Cabinet-on-Stand
In 1977 the J. Paul Getty Museum acquired another cabinet, an extraordinary 17th-century cabinet-on-stand ornamented with brown sculpted figures. Restorers examined the figures shortly thereafter and concluded that they were intended to be white, not brown. They stripped the surface of the figures down to the "original" white layer, which is how they have been displayed ever since. In this talk, associate conservator Arlen Heginbotham will discuss a recent reinvestigation of the figures that yielded a new and surprising conclusion about their true original appearance. Free; call (310) 440-7300 to sign up.

Learn more about this event.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 3:00–5:30 p.m.
Getty Center, Museum Lecture Hall

Cabinet (detail), French, about 1580 with late 19th-century additions

A Renaissance Cabinet Rediscovered: Understanding Furniture (gallery course)

Brian Considine and Arlen Heginbotham, decorative arts conservators, the J. Paul Getty Museum, offer unique insights into the analysis and interpretation of furniture. In the first session they introduce participants to a French cabinet acquired by J. Paul Getty in 1971. Long thought to be a fake, the cabinet was recently revealed by research at the Getty Museum to be an authentic and important piece of French Renaissance furniture, made in 1580. The lecture and gallery presentation will explain the scientific and visual studies used by conservators to make this determination. In the second session, participants will examine other pieces in the Getty's collection and analyze them for authenticity. The instructors will compare authentic and copied objects to show how differences can be identified. Course fee: $20; limited to 25 participants. Call (310) 440-7300 to sign up.

Wednesdays, January 11 and 18, 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Museum Studios, Getty Center