Printing the Grand Manner: Charles Le Brun and Monumental Prints in the Age of Louis XIV May 18–October 17, 2010 Printing the Grand Manner explores the form, content, and function of late 17th-century reproductive engravings that, given their quality and impressive size, were meant to evoke the grandeur of Charles Le Brun's large-scale paintings and tapestry designs. Despite the fact that no other moment in the history of art witnessed such a concerted production of unusually grand reproductive prints, this visually compelling group of images has not drawn the attention of specialists or the public (in part, because the prints are difficult to handle and display). The exhibition examines the prints' rich vocabulary and illuminates the context of their production between the mid-1660s and 1690. It also calls out the relationship between Le Brun and his printmakers, while interpreting the prints and their inscriptions in light of debates regarding allegories, narratives, and the representation of Louis XIV.
Obsidian Mirror-Travels: Refracting Ancient Mexican Art and Archaeology November 16, 2010–March 27, 2011 This exhibition explores representations of Mexican archaeological objects and sites made from the Colonial era to the present. Featuring images of ancient Maya and Aztec ruins by archaeologist explorers such as John Lloyd Stephens, Desiré Charnay, and Augustus and Alice Le Plongeon, the exhibition showcases depictions of the Aztec Calendar Stone and other Mexican antiquities as well as panoramic visions of Mexico—all in the context of the Spanish conquest, the 19th-century French intervention in Mexico, and the lengthy presidency of Porfirio Díaz (1876–1910). Some of the works exhibited are accurate, while others are fanciful; each portrays a distinct vision of Mexico.
Research Institute exhibitions showcase collections and scholarly activities. The exhibitions, in some cases accompanied by scholarly publications, focus primarily on the special collections of the Research Library or on work produced by artists in residence. Two exhibitions are presented each year in the Getty Research Institute Exhibition Gallery, and exhibitions are occasionally developed by the Research Institute for the J. Paul Getty Museum.
