This book is the first of three volumes, which altogether will comprise the first catalogue of the holdings of the J. Paul Getty Museum. It contains all the paintings belonging to the museum as of October, 1971, plus a few of the more important acquisitions made before the manuscript was submitted to the printer five months later. We are putting on paper what we own and what we have so far learned about it.

For the same reasons that one cannot at present sum up the growth of the collection, it is impossible to fully acknowledge here the contribution and generosity of the man who continues to make it all possible. The founder of the museum, Mr. J. Paul Getty, has given this country, and in particular the citizens of California, one of its finest private art museums; he has done so at a time when large collections of art objects of great importance are very nearly beyond the means of an individual, the funds needed to accumulate such pieces being available almost exclusively to the largest civic organizations. His collection is known, but its scope will become apparent only within the coming year; and more important, his collecting continues unabated. The fullest and most appropriate acknowledgment of Mr. Getty’s generosity must be left for another place, but to the degree that it is now possible, his contribution is detailed here.

• Preface
• Introduction
• Italian-Spanish
• Flemish
• Dutch
• French
• English
• Modern
• Drawings
• Index by Accession Number
• Index
• Images

Burton Fredericksen is curator of paintings at the J. Paul Getty Museum.