Highway 1 Journey ~ The Getty Villa ~ ゲティヴィラ

Paul Getty. The oil tycoon. He had a "thing" for the Greek and Roman antiquities. So he began collecting them, but his mansion got crowded with them, then he decided to build a museum for them. It was established in 1954 and reopened in 2006. I was impressed by the fact that the admission was free. I heard that it was on his will - he wanted to share the beauty with the public.
The highlight of the museum was the Hercules, of course. Among 44,000 antiquities that he had collected this piece was Paul Getty's favorite, they said.



石油タイクーンだったポール・ゲティ。彼はギリシャとローマのアンティークに惚れ込んでいました。集め出したら豪邸のスペースでもきつくなってきたとか。「では美術館を建てるか」ということになりました。１９５４年に設立され２００６に再オープン。凄いのは「みんなに見てもらえるように入場料はただ」という遺言です。かっこいい！上の写真は４４０００に亘る彼のコレクションの中でも一番お気に入りだったという「ハーキュリー」の像。



For some reasons they painted the eyes of those bronze sculptures. They look rather funny and whimsical! どういうわけか、ブロンズ彫刻の顔の目だけ塗られていました。なんだか可笑しいですよねえ、、？



I don't know why, but the museums always make me tired and hungry. It is a good feeling of fatigue though. We had a fabulous panini at the museum cafe overlooking at the Roman Theater. After visiting the Hearst Castle, this museum seemed rather small, but when you think about having the Villa dei Papiri being rebuilt by one man's dream it is quite something!

いつも美術館に行くと疲れてお腹が空く私です。でも気持ちの良い疲れなんですけれどネ。私たちはローマの劇場を見下ろしながら、美術館のカフェで美味しいパニーニで腹ごしらえ。ハーストキャスルに行った後にここを見ると、なんだか小さい美術館に感じますが、あのパピリを再現しようなんて思った、ただ一人の人間がここまでしてしまうなんて、やっぱり凄いですね！