See Johannes Vermeer's exquisitely nuanced masterpiece Woman in Blue Reading a Letter. For centuries, this image of a young woman standing alone reading a letter, bathed in soft morning light with a delicate array of blues, has stirred the imagination.

On loan to the Getty Museum for six weeks only, this painting by the Dutch master is a visiting ambassador from Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, which opens on April 13 after a ten-year renovation.

A newly added free talk on February 24 brings together a variety of historical and contemporary perspectives on this painting.

Learn more about this painting and other Dutch paintings on view at the Getty »

"A landmark exhibition…profoundly expands our understanding of a fundamental shift in Western history."
—Los Angeles Times

Experience the splendor of breathtaking devotional paintings, precious manuscripts, and luminous stained glass before this groundbreaking exhibition travels to the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Explore the work of the Florentine panel painters and manuscript illuminators who revolutionized the depiction of the human form and expression in the early 1300s, launching the Italian Renaissance.

Learn more about this exhibition »

Learn about the scientific research behind the project Researching Florentine Workshop Practice »

With a stellar cast led by Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis and brother Apollo Dukakis, Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble presents a newly imagined prequel to Aristophanes' Lysistrata.

The inspired script by playwright Eduardo Machado tells of an aristocratic Athenian matron who is crushed by fateful events and is gradually transformed into the most celebrated peace activist of the ancient world. Tickets $7.

Learn more and get tickets »

The Holmes Brothers move body and soul with their amazing three-part harmonies and spirited mix of gospel, blues, soul, R & B, rock, and country in their long-awaited return to the Getty stage. For a devoted and expanding fan base, the trio continue to deliver Saturday-night roadhouse rock with the joyful fervor of a Sunday morning church service. Free; reservations required.

Learn more, make reservations, and hear a music sample from the Holmes Brothers »

Imagine Anatolian rhythms mingled with American folk-lead riffs with echoes of the Beatles, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Simon and Garfunkel! Armenian Public Radio blends these diverse sounds, polishing traditional Armenian village songs with their evocative silver vocal lines to reinvent them with a modern sensibility. Free; reservations required.

Learn more and make reservations »

Giotto di Bondone of Florence was pivotal in transforming Italian painting during the birth of the Renaissance in the early 1300s. Learn more about Giotto's art historical revolution and explore his masterwork, the frescoes of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, with art historian Keith Christiansen of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Complements the exhibition Florence at the Dawn of the Renaissance: Painting and Illumination, 1300–1350. Free; reservations required.

Learn more and make reservations »

Learn about a luxurious Roman Villa buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79 and explore two sides of ancient life with John R. Clarke, director of the project to study and conserve the archaeological site of Oplontis, near Pompeii. Clarke discusses the two enormous structures uncovered there—one a commercial center with wine-bottling facilities, the other an opulent residence for the super-rich—and presents a new interactive, 3-D model. Free; a ticket is required.

Learn more and get tickets »

Who really owns that work of art? Where did it come from? Was it lost, seized, or even stolen during the Nazi era (1933–45) or beyond? "Art detectives" such as provenance curator Victoria Reed of the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston, devote their careers to answering these questions. In this lecture, she recounts her experiences tracing the ownership history of the MFA's collection, offering a special behind-the-scenes view. Free; reservations required.

Learn more and make reservations »

O P E N I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– Johannes Vermeer, Woman in Blue Reading a Letter (Feb. 16–Mar. 31)
– Untold Stories: Collecting and Transforming Medieval Manuscripts (Feb. 26–May 12)

C O N T I N U I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– In Focus: Robert Mapplethorpe

C L O S I N G   T H I S   M O N T H
– The Art of Devotion in the Middle Ages (through Feb. 3)
– Disegno: Drawing in Europe, 1520–1600 (through Feb. 3)
– Florence at the Dawn of the Renaissance: Painting and Illumination, 1300–1350 (through Feb. 10)
– Farewell to Surrealism: The Dyn Circle in Mexico (through Feb. 17)
– The Photographs of Ray K. Metzker and the Institute of Design (through Feb. 24)

H O T   T I C K E T S
– Talk: New Approaches to Painting and Illumination in the Time of Giotto (Feb. 5)
– Concert: The Holmes Brothers (Feb. 16 & 17)
– Concert: Armenian Public Radio (Feb. 23)
– Talk: Tales from an Art Detective: The Eventful Lives of Art Objects (Feb. 28)

H O T   T I C K E T S
– Villa Theater Lab: Lysistrata Unbound (Feb. 8–10)
– Talk: Leisure, Commerce, and Tragedy in the Villa of Oplontis near Pompeii (Feb. 23)

CONTACT US
General inquiries: visitorservices@getty.edu
Press inquiries: communications@getty.edu or visit our Press Room
e-Getty feedback: egetty@getty.edu

THE GETTY CENTER
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 440-7300

HOURS: Tues–Thu and Sun: 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Sat: 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Closed Mondays

Admission to the Getty Center is FREE. Parking is $15, but $10 after 5:00 p.m. for Saturday evening hours and for evening events.
Plan your visit

THE GETTY VILLA
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
(310) 440-7300

HOURS: Weds–Mon: 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Closed Tuesdays

Admission to the Getty Villa is FREE. An advance, timed-entry ticket is required. Parking is $15, but $10 for evening events after 5:00 p.m.
Plan your visit

C O P Y R I G H T © 2013 J. Paul Getty Trust | Privacy Policy