Arts & Entertainment
Getty Museum Acquires Michelangelo, Degas Drawings Among Heralded Collection
The J. Paul Getty Museum has acquired a collection of drawings by seminal artists such as Michelangelo, Edgar Degas, and Peter Paul Rubens.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A collection of drawings, including works by artists such as Michelangelo and Edgar Degas, has been obtained by the J. Paul Getty Museum in what is being hailed as one of the most important acquisitions by the institution's Department of Drawings.
"This acquisition is truly a transformative event in the history of the Getty Museum," said Timothy Potts, director of the J. Paul Getty Museum. "It brings into our collection many of the finest drawings of the Renaissance through 19th century that have come to market over the past 30 years, including a number of masterpieces that are among the most famous works on paper by these artists -- Michaelangelo's `Study of a Mourning Woman,' Parmigianino's `Head of a Young Man' and Andrea del Sarto's `Study for the Head of St. Joseph.'
"It is very unlikely that there will ever be another opportunity to elevate so significantly our representation of these artists, and, more importantly, the status of the Getty collection overall."
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Other artists represented in the collection are Lorenzo di Credi, Peter Paul Rubens, Federico Barocci and Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo. The collection also included a painting by 18th Century French artist Jean Antoine Watteau.
The works were purchased from a British private collection.
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"Any one of these sheets on its own is truly extraordinary and would be a worthy and meaningful acquisition for the Getty," said Julian Brooks, senior curator of drawings at the Getty. "Together, the 16 drawings form an unparalleled roll call of the `best of the best,' with iconic sheets by some of the world's most celebrated artists. This powerful group of works represent the finest aspects of Western art history captured on paper. I am eagerly anticipating sharing these masterworks with our visitors as well as our international scholarly and museum community."
It was not immediately clear when the works will go on display. Museum officials said most of the works are already at the Getty, but others are still "pending export licenses" from the United Kingdom.
City News Service; Images courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Museum.
