Paintings

Rooted in J. Paul Getty’s passion for European paintings, the collection spans over six hundred years, from about 1250 to 1920. While it represents his interest in particular areas—notably the Italian Renaissance, 17th-century Netherlands, and paintings by the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens—the collection has been dramatically transformed since his death in 1976 to encompass a wide variety of makers and subjects. Today, viewers encounter exquisite late medieval Italian gold ground and early Netherlandish panel paintings, exceptional 16th-century Italian portraits and devotional scenes, compelling Spanish and Italian Baroque works, and an array of 19th-century paintings rich in works by Manet, Monet, and Degas, as well as iconic paintings by Van Gogh and Ensor. The collection, shown primarily in skylit galleries on the second floor of the Museum’s four pavilions, continues to expand through select acquisitions and gifts. Research, and collaborative projects with the Getty’s conservation and scientific specialists, provide new insights into the paintings collection through exhibitions, cataloguing, and public programs.