Collecting the Past and the Perception of Antiquity (gallery course)

Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Time: 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Admission: Course fee $20. Open to 40 participants.

Are we looking through an 18th-century lens when we study the ancient past? Join art historian Ann Steinsapir for an afternoon of exploration and discussion at the Getty Villa on the theme of antiquities collecting and collectors.

Learn how prominent British collectors of the 1700s and 1800s shaped the way we view ancient Greece and Rome, both through what they chose to collect (and not to collect) and through how they chose to display it. Get to know some of the most influential and memorable British collectors, explore the passion for antiquities that drove them, and learn about the fabulous buildings and galleries they constructed to display their treasures. Discover how early British collectors influenced later American collectors including William Randolph Hearst, Henry E. Huntington, and J. Paul Getty, who powerfully shaped the Los Angeles museum landscape.

The course will focus on works in the permanent collection galleries as well as two exhibitions that illuminate the history of collecting and our changing perceptions of antiquity: The Hope Hygieia: Restoring a Statue's History (through September 8), and Grecian Taste and Roman Spirit: The Society of Dilettanti (through October 27).

About Ann Steinsapir
An art historian specializing in ancient Roman art and architecture, Ann Irvine Steinsapir is the education specialist for academic and adult programming at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa. Prior to joining the Museum, she was professor of art history at the University of California, Los Angeles, and California State University, Long Beach. She is the author of Rural Sanctuaries in Roman Syria: The Creation of a Sacred Landscape and pursues a variety of research interests including Roman paintings and mosaics, Greek and Roman portraiture, Greek and Roman drama, and contemporary reception of classical cultures.

More Courses and Demonstrations
Explore portraiture through the ages, watch artists practice their craft, discover the art of the ancient world, and more. See all upcoming courses and demonstrations.



How to Get Here
The Getty Center is located at 1200 Getty Center Drive in Los Angeles, California, approximately 12 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. See Hours, Directions, Parking for maps and driving directions.