Make a Getty-Inspired Pumpkin
Get ready for Halloween in style with these art-inspired pumpkin stencils
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Whether you’re into the animals of medieval manuscripts, the art of ancient Greece, or the outdoor sculptures at the Getty Center, your pumpkins will look gourdgeous by the time your work is done.
Print out the PDFs below for Getty-inspired stencils, and tag us in your creations on Instagram at @GettyMuseum so we can see your handiwork for Halloween!
Dragon
In medieval England, dragons were often associated with the devil and Satan. However, they weren't all illustrated in fearful detail and this one is sure to add some delightful spookiness to your Halloween display. Download the dragon printable PDF stencil.
A Winged Dragon, 1277 or after, Franco-Flemish. Tempera colors, pen and ink, gold leaf, and gold, 9 3/16 × 6 7/16 in. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Ms. Ludwig XV 4, fol. 94 (83.MR.174.94)
L’Air
Artist Aristide Maillol often used the female form to symbolize aspects of nature like the sea, the seasons, and even a subject as elusive as air.
L' Air, design 1938; cast 1962, Aristide Maillol. Lead, 50 × 94 × 36 3/4 in. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Gift of Fran and Ray Stark, 2005.113.1
Bat
This illustration of bats comes from a medieval bestiary, a collection of descriptions and images of real and imaginary animals that provided moral lessons.
A Nightingale; Bats, about 1250–60, English. Pen-and-ink drawings tinted with body color and translucent washes, 8 1/4 × 6 3/16 in. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Ms. 100, fol. 37 (2007.16.37)
Ancient Amphora
This Greek amphora is decorated with a story about Odysseus slashing the throat of a Thracian warrior. But you can decorate your pumpkin amphora with your own Halloween-inspired story.
Chalcidian Black-Figure Neck Amphora, about 540 B.C., attributed to the Inscription Painter. Terracotta, 15 9/16 in. high. The J. Paul Getty Museum, 96.AE.1
Snakes
These entwined snakes make for a ssssspooky design.
A Basilisk; Snakes; Vipers, about 1250–60, English. Pen-and-ink drawings tinted with body color and translucent washes, 8 1/4 × 6 3/16 in. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Ms. 100, fol. 55 (2007.16.55)
We can’t wait to see what you’ve created! Post your pumpkins, and tag us on Instagram at @GettyMuseum.