News & Stories

The latest about Getty’s work, collections, and exhibitions

Silhouette Sleuthing

How a curator unlocked the secrets in an arsenic-laced portrait album

Book page open to black bust silhouettes.
Ledger book of William Bache, 1803–1812. Black paper coated silhouettes mounted on paper. Digitized by MarkGulezian/NPG. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA; partial gift of Sarah Bache Bloise

Dreaming of Venus and the Sea Monster

A close look at Getty art in relief

A relief sculpture of a nude Venus, laying on the back of a sea monster. She strokes his beard. A putto draws his arrow to shoot her
[Venus Reclining on a Sea Monster with Cupid and a Putto][1], 1787/1788–1790, John Deare. Marble, 13 1/4 × 23 × 4 7/16 in. Getty Museum, 98.SA.4 [1]: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/107VRV

Art & Architecture

All Art & Architecture Stories

  1. Art Always Finds a Way

    Two people look at photographs and art objects on a large table in a well-lit room

    What happened when East Germany tried to control its artists? They created provocative magazines, for one

  2. But First, Sketch

    Pickford Waller sketchbooks of book designs

    Consider the sketchbook, small enough to tuck into a pocket or bag, as the artist’s version of the personal diary

  3. In the Studio with Felipe Baeza

    Felipe Baeza in a black t-shirt stands in front of his collage hung on the wall

    A peek into the creative process of Getty’s new Artist in Residence

Ancient Life

All Ancient Life Stories

  1. Is Ancient Glass Unbreakable?

    An exhibition display of ancient glass containers, all in different colors and shapes.

    No. But here’s how vessels have survived for thousands of years

  2. Here Comes the (Ancient Roman) Bride

    Faded and partially decayed wall painting of a woman wearing white and holding a white cloth next to a seated man holding a spear

    You’re invited to a Roman wedding

  3. Buried with the Dead, These Vessels Told Stories for the Living

    Vessel shows scenes from the afterlife

    A new book explores ancient vase paintings and what they communicate about the Underworld

Becoming Artsy

All Becoming Artsy Stories

  1. Dreaming of Venus and the Sea Monster

    A relief sculpture of a nude Venus, laying on the back of a sea monster. She strokes his beard. A putto draws his arrow to shoot her

    A close look at Getty art in relief

  2. Dickens Drank Here

    Person in jumpsuit and winter jacket drinking from a half pint glass with a light background containing empty beer glasses.

    Jessie does a pub crawl in the name of historical research

  3. What Is It about Horses?

    Jessie and Anne Woollett look at a horse painting in the Getty Museum

    Jessie learns more about the majestic creatures in art

Inside Getty

All Inside Getty Stories

  1. In the Kitchen with Getty Restaurant’s Head Chef

    A chef prepares a pasta dish from scratch in a restaurant kitchen

    Patrick Florendo creates seasonal, refined dishes with a relaxed, home-cooked vibe

  2. The Ambitious Plan to Open Up a Treasure Trove of Black History

    Steven Booth stands in an aisle at a warehouse, with stacks of boxes up to the ceiling on either side

    Check in on the progress of the seven-year project to digitize the Johnson Publishing Company archive

  3. How Are You Creative?

    A person does a breakdance pose on an outdoor stone area, in front of a gridded wall

    Getty Center visitors on finding inspiration in nature, self-expression, and circuitry

In the Headlines

  1. The Getty Gives $17 Million to Museums for Pacific Standard Time

    In 2024, institutions in Southern California will stage some 60 shows on art and science, from climate change to Indigenous futurism

  2. Find Out If Your Ancestor Is Among These 19th-Century Silhouettes in This Newly Digitized Collection

    The itinerant artist William Bache’s portraits are contaminated by arsenic, but now the National Portrait Gallery offers easy access

News Resources

  1. For Journalists

    A scientist in a lab coat inspects several clear plastic samples arrayed in front of her on a table.

    Find press contacts, images, and information for the news media

  2. Getty Magazine

    Person sitting on a bench in the Getty Center Central Garden reading Getty Magazine, with leafy foliage behind

    In-depth stories and personal perspectives

  3. All News

    Side view of a gloved conservator using a long-handled swab to clean a large ancient mosaic floor, which stands upright in a lab

    All press releases and stories about Getty’s projects, exhibitions, and collections