Goddesses at Getty

December 27, 2008

I experienced something spectacular at Getty today. The images of goddesses, Minerva, Juno and Venus, those who took sides in Homer's Iliad, had a profound effect on me. The images by an English guild artist,----- was the highest form of devotional art. The details in the craftsmanship exemplifies exceptional professionalism of the 18th century. The image of Seneca was also most beautiful. The Roman statesman's natural form suits his scholarly image, a person who wrote and travelled extensively. Seneca mentioned Imaos (Himalayas) mountains in his writings.

His Majesty Louis XIV was magnificent by any order. Particularly, interesting were his high heeled shoes. The fleur de lis on his cape reminded me of my cub scout days in 1986. The tapestries in the exhibit carries each visitor to a time in pre-French revolution Europe when European royal families and nobility enjoyed the serene beauty of nature and calm life. Hunting with composite bow and enjoying tea in an Oriental (Chinese) garden shows a profound impact of Marco Polo's introduction of Orient in the period of Rennaissance and neo-classicism. The European guilds reached artistic heights in sharp contrast to Middle Eastern iconoclastic art.

Columbus must have had a great desire to reach the orient through another route to reopen the Orient, which was under Ottoman blockade. He instead discovered the New World and Spain moved westward.

The amazing clocks, exceptional example of high craftsmanship, hava images of dragons and lions, engaraved with painstaking detail. The rush of blue blood as a Rana gave me a new sense of self esteem and I quickly thought of Nepal's honeymoon with the West after Sir Jung Bahadur's European tour. The imagery is chronicled in 'The Wake of the White Tiger' by Diamond Rana. The image of Greta muwa (Greta Mary Rana), the work's English translator, came vividly into my mind. At that moment, I wanted to celebrate Sir Juddha Rana's birthday in next April 19.

In the exhibit, 'Captured Emotions:Baroque Paintings in Bologna, 1575-1725, Christian imagery was vivid. Moses, religious persecution, executions are brilliantly depicted by the Italian painters. Joseph and Potiphar's wife gave a glimpse of adultery. The fall of man, depicted Adam and Eve's expulsion from Eden. Adam and Eve are wearing animal hide while an angel armed with a flaming sword guards against their reentry. Also painted are images of Jesus, before his execution.

The painting which had a profound effect on me as a Xavierian was The Vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola by Demenchino (Domenico Zampieri), an Italian painter who depicts the saint with the rendition of the vision of Christ and Moses?? in La Storta village. St. Ignatius was canonized in 1622 and was one of the leaders of Society of Jesus, an order instituted by Pope --- to counter Reformation. All of my good teachers were Jesuits. Besides, Sir Juddha had the Italian decoration, SS order of Maurice and Lazarus, which drew me to this particular painting.

Also notable is the panorama of Los Angeles visible from the terrace. The mountains in the east, the airplanes landing in Los Angeles International (LAX), and three cargo ships with the setting sun, the red sky, reminded me of the most memorable moment of my life. In the distance, high rise of downtown LA, all made look as if the city has a new spirit. A new elegance as America's number two city.

The green hills in which the center rests radiates peace and happiness. Only sights of Thessalonoki and Parthenon in Greece has more majesty. Every time I come to the Getty, I touch the marble slabs as I wonder at the artistic and aesthetic appeal. The structure is a marvel of American architecture. I first read about the Getty in 2006 issue of Vanity Fair. And here today, for my second time, I saw this great museum, an epitome of Western collection. I couldn't help think of the Greek monarch and the Spanish king, His Majesty Juan Carlos Bourbon y Bourbon (Queen Sophia is Greek) whose coronation I had witnessed in the special issue of Newsweek. General Franco was also depicted in that issue which my granddad Capt. Dadhi Shumsher had.

The great Romans, Julius Caesar, Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Marcus Licinius Crassus were all over my spirit. The sculpture of woman protecting her son was amazing expression of high art with maternal love. I stood and gazed at the shield of Minerva. Apollo looked elegant, crafted the same way as Michaelangelo's David. It captivates all mankind who love and admire art.

As I rode on the tram on my way down, I saw a most beautiful German looking woman. Her face had a symmetry and beauty of unparalleled in the Orient. Her long fingernails her beautiful composure will last in my mind for a long long time. "Juno!", I gasped.