J. Paul Getty started acquiring antiquities in Rome in 1939 and subsequently built an important collection concentrating on Greek and Roman marble statues and reliefs, bronze statuettes, and mosaics. These works were kept in his Malibu ranch house and made available for public viewing beginning in 1954, but the growth of the collection called for a larger space, leading him to design a replica of the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum. The new museum opened in 1974, and Getty expanded the scope of its displays, adding ancient Roman frescoes, Greek painted pottery, and other objects. After his death in 1976, museum curators added significantly to the collection, which now includes Neolithic clay figurines dating back to the sixth millennium BCE, Bronze Age marble vessels and figurines from the Cycladic islands and Cyprus, an original Greek bronze statue of the Hellenistic period known as The Victorious Youth, engraved gems, Romano-Egyptian mummy portraits, ancient glass, carved ambers, and gold jewelry.
Antiquities

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Publications
Resources
The Horse and Rider from Albania: Conservation
Project
Study, analysis, and conservation of a freshly excavated, heavily corroded bronze statuette of a horse and rider discovered in an ancient Greek settlement in Albania
APPEAR Project
Project
A collaborative exploration of ancient panel-painting production that facilitates international scholarly exchange
Drunken Satyr Conservation
Project
The study, analysis, and treatment of a rare first-century Roman bronze buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, recovered after millennia of burial and restored in the 18th century
Sharing Collections in India
Project
An international partnership promoting a global understanding of the ancient world through collaborative cross-cultural exhibitions and educational programs in Mumbai
Getty Scholars Program at the Villa
Project
Supporting advanced scholarship on ancient arts and cultures
Conserving Bronze Lamps of Ancient Vani
Project
Study, conservation, and display of two recently excavated decorated bronze lamps from Vani, Georgia
Art Break: “Unwrapping” the Book of the Dead at the Getty
Video
(opens in new tab)Egyptologist Heba Abd el Gawad and curatorial assistant Judith Barr discuss the treatment of mummified human remains from the 19th century
Art Break: Conserving an Ancient Bronze Horse and Rider
Video
(opens in new tab)Conservator Susanne Gänsicke and curator Jens Daehner discuss the meticulous conservation treatment of this bronze statuette
Stories on Ceramics: Time, Transformation, and Touch
Video
(opens in new tab)Three experts examine ceramic vessels from Greek, Maya, and Moche cultures and the role they play in the sharing of stories
Stories on Ceramics: Pictures, Politics, and Primordial Times
Video
(opens in new tab)Getty curator David Saunders joins Alyce de Carteret and Jeffrey Quilter to examine ceramic vessels from Greek, Maya, and Moche cultures
Persepolis Reimagined
Interactive
Explore the capital of ancient Persia at its height during the reign of King Xerxes with this immersive web experience from Getty
The Mummification Process
Video
(opens in new tab)A deep-dive into the ancient Egyptian's sophisticated method to preserve a dead body for the afterlife: mummification
Horses and Humans: A Partnership Across Time
Video
(opens in new tab)Five experts in diverse disciplines explore the history, art, and archaeology of the horse-human bond
The Egyptian Book of the Dead—for the Living
Video
(opens in new tab)Egyptologists discuss the ways the Book of the Dead assisted the deceased’s transition to the afterlife and served as a book for the living
The Vesuvius Challenge: Resurrecting a Library of Ancient Scrolls
Video
(opens in new tab)Learn about the papyrus scrolls buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and the groundbreaking challenge to virtually unwrap and read them
Portraying Power: Representations of Hellenistic Queens
Video
(opens in new tab)Art historian Patricia Kim explores queenship and power in the era of Alexander the Great and his successors
Who Were the Thracians?
Video
(opens in new tab)Historian Matthew Sears delves into the rich legacy of Ancient Thrace
Bacchus Uncorked: Wine in Roman Life–and Death
Video
(opens in new tab)Explore Roman wine culture, from taverns to private dining rooms, and its role in funerals and monuments
Bacchus Uncorked: The Ancient Greek Drinking Party
Video
(opens in new tab)Explore the cultural role of the symposium in ancient Greece and ancient origins of wine
Close Looking: Stag Rhyton
Video
(opens in new tab)How can we connect with the distant past? Conservator Jessie Arista believes one way is to examine an object like this
Close Looking: Statue of Hercules (Lansdowne Herakles)
Video
(opens in new tab)Assistant Curator of Antiquities Nicole Budrovich shows you how this marble sculpture embodies key attributes of the hero
Stories from the Collection
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For information about borrowing J. Paul Getty Museum objects, please see the Guidelines for Requesting Loans of Art Objects.
Staff Directory
Judith Barr
Curatorial Assistant
Nicole Budrovich
Curatorial Assistant
Sara E. Cole
Associate Curator
Jens Daehner
Associate Curator
Kenneth Lapatin
Curator
Claire Lyons
Curator
David Saunders
Associate Curator