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Hebert Rogers

Anthropology 6/ M&W/ 10:30-11:50

Spring 2017

References Cited

The Getty Villas Gods and Goddesses Exhibit

The Gods and Goddesses exhibit is located at the Getty Villa in Malibu,

California and houses some of the most exquisite statues to be seen in Southern

California. Located on the first floor, this exhibit is placed next to others that show

luxury vessels, ornate furniture, and other symbolic expressions of art by the

Romans. The theme of this exhibit focused on Roman Statues from 800 B.C. to 600

A.D. while the subtheme of this exhibit was most likely Roman Art and Architecture,

due to the apparent emphasis on that particular society and its symbolic expression

through these various methods. These other exhibits showcased some beautiful

pieces but I decided to focus on Gods and Goddesses because of the information

presented, layout, and statues themselves.

This exhibit utilized textual panels and multimedia players to provide

information about the exhibit and the various statues that occupy it. Before you

enter this room, you see a panel on the wall with a slick black frame that introduces

you to the exhibit. This panel provides useful information about the statues such as

materials used and the settings they were placed in. The panel goes on to describe

how the statues were made of gold, ivory, bronze, and marble and they were

typically placed in special architectural settings (Exhibit Panel 2017). This was

evident in the exhibit as the statues were situated in such a way that made one

think of a temple in ancient Rome. Furthermore, textual panels were also used to

tell the viewer who was being portrayed, along with information about the subject,
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the material used, and approximate date of creation. While the textual panels

provided information about the statues themselves, there were also audio programs

that accompanied the exhibit. These programs provided the museum goer with

history and context about the statues as well as the architectural significance about

the room, why it was designed the way it was.

This room was based on the architecture of Roman Basilicas, which were

essentially large rooms that served as public halls and were used as places of

worship. Romans would create statues as a sort of homage to the gods and place

them in these rooms as offerings. The statues were situated between eight white

marble columns in a clearly uniform manner with a lone statue being at the end of

the room. The ceiling was painted white with designed coffers that are modeled

after the ones found in the House of Cryptoporticus in Pompeii (Museum Panel

2017). These intricate stuccowork patterns ran the length of the ceiling and were

accompanied by small black chandeliers. The walls were painted with soft colors

that made the ivory statues and marble columns stand out tremendously. There

were only two windows, which were made of a honey-colored onyx and allowed the

room to be illuminated by natural light. Furthermore, the floor had a design which

looked like an alternating series of geometrical shapes and was made of reused

ancient marbles and copies a floor from the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum

(Museum Panel 2017). However, the floor on the sides of the room where the

columns stood, was painted solid black or may have been granite. These different

elements blended together to create the feeling as if one was standing in a sacred

Roman temple over 2,000 years ago.

The exhibit consisted of statues displaying Roman gods and goddesses along

with panels describing them. Pluto, Venus, Aphrodite, and the Muses were some of
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the gods the statues represented. These statues were made mainly of ivory or

marble and stood anywhere from three to five feet tall. The statues were placed on

podiums made of stone with a granite or marble top that served as a decorative yet

functional base. Along with the base, the entire piece may have been anywhere

from 5-8 feet tall. The statues showed how deeply connected the Romans were to

their gods and how these items were essentially tributes to them. One sees this is

the attention to detail and anatomical accuracy with each body part.

The Gods and Goddesses exhibit located at the Getty Villa provides visitors

with an interesting experience through various ways. These include textual content

such as panels and multimedia players. These offer contextual support, important

history, and other vital information regarding the statues presented. Along with this,

the organizational layout of the room is modeled after architecture of that particular

era during Roman history. This includes the pillars, floor, ceiling, and placement of

statues themselves. This layout is not only aesthetically appealing but also

reminiscent of that time. Furthermore, the statues provide a deep insight into the

particular culture that Romans possessed while creating them. One is able to see

their affection and dedication for the various gods such as Venus, Pluto, Aphrodite,

and the Muses. There is a specific attention to detail that is apparent and

astonishing considering the tools available at the time.

Overall, the various aspects of this exhibit mentioned earlier came together

to create a fascinating experience that was thought provoking and inspiring. The

entire room was composed of such beautiful architecture that created a pleasing

atmosphere and made me feel like I was standing in a room designed during that

time. One sees the influence of ancient architecture that existed in Pompeii

throughout the entire room, from the ceiling to the floor. To observe beautiful
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statues composed of material such as ivory, marble, and granite, made me wish to

learn more about how stone masons were able to craft them with such primitive

tools. Questions such as, what inspired them, how long the process was from start

to finish, or where they found the raw materials, sparked a desire in me for more

information about ancient architecture. The content of this exhibit clearly aligned

with the title so I was not surprised as to what was presented was still surprised by

the quality and level of detail.

The exhibit was accompanied by panels and multimedia elements that

contributed to the experience as a whole. However, there could have been more

textual support on the panels by each of the statues, such as where they acquired

the resources and what kind of techniques were used. The audio programs greatly

enhanced the experience by providing the history and context in which they would

have been placed. In learning about the statues as I was observing them, I was able

to acquire a different understanding about the pieces that were being displayed. I

knew the statues were old but to learn exactly how old contributed to my

appreciation of the various works. Any artist can tell you that designing sculptures

that are anatomically correct is one of the most difficult forms of art.

I also believe that the right amount of statues were being presented. With

how relatively small the room was, any more statues would have made it look

crowded and disrupt the overall flow of the room. This is due to the apparent

intentional placement of statues in a way that maximized the space available while

creating an aesthetically appealing experience. If the statues were placed in a plain

room on regular podiums then I believe the exhibit would have still been interesting

but to have them positioned in a room that was modeled after basilicas in ancient

Rome provided valuable context. This context included understanding that basilicas
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in Rome were essentially places of worship and that atmosphere is created in a

brilliant way throughout this exhibit.

There were a variety of other factors that influenced the experience as well.

In this exhibit, there was no music and I believe this was a good thing as it would

have impacted the immersive feeling the exhibit provided. The absence of music

also allowed me to better focus on the statues and think critically about the designs

themselves. I found myself being able to get lost in the statues because of how

quiet it was. The doors to all of the exhibits were open which allowed magnificent

natural lighting and a coastal breeze that created a delightful experience. This

exhibit that showcased Roman culture and their ability to transform raw materials

such as marble, gold, and ivory, into beautiful pieces that have withstood the test of

time. This exhibit was an amazing experience because of the layout, architecture,

content, and information presented. With all of this in mind, it would be impossible

for me to not recommend the Gods and Goddesses exhibit to anyone visiting the

Getty Villa. It is the perfect way to spend a weekend and you will most likely come

away with a greater appreciation for Roman culture.

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References Cited

Exhibit Panel

2017 Gods and Goddesses. Pacific Palisades: The Getty Villa.