Statement from Michael Brand Regarding Senator Rutelli Visit to the Getty Center

“I am very pleased to welcome former Italian Minister of Culture, Senator Francesco Rutelli and his wife to the J. Paul Getty Museum today."

“I had the opportunity to meet and work with then Minister Rutelli as the Getty and Italy worked to resolve differences over claims for objects from our antiquities collection. With that issue successfully behind us, Italy and the Getty have renewed what traditionally has been a close and productive relationship between a country and an organization where arts professionals greatly respect and admire each other’s work. I want to thank Senator Rutelli for the important role he played in paving the way to reach a resolution.

I am particularly pleased that the Senator and his wife, Barbara Palombelli, could visit the Getty Center during the Bernini exhibition. We are honored and delighted to have these extraordinary masterpieces by Gian Lorenzo Bernini on view here at the Getty, in what is the first major Bernini exhibition ever in North America.

I also know the Senator Rutelli is very fond of Richard Meier’s architecture, and as I recall, while he saw the Getty Center under construction, this is the first time he has actually been here. I hope the next time the Senator visits Los Angeles, we can welcome him to the Getty Villa.

All of us at the Getty wish the Senator and his wife safe travels back to Italy, where I hope he will convey our greetings, and on behalf of the people of Los Angeles, who are coming in record numbers to see the Bernini show, thank the Italian citizens for sharing these wonderful works with us."