Since the Getty Museum launched its virtual library in 2014, its publications have been downloaded more than 400,000 times.
The scope of the Getty’s virtual library is broader than broad. Here’s a minuscule sample of topics covered:
- European glass
- Greek vases
- Flemish manuscript painting in context
- Restoration of ancient bronzes
- Painting on Light: Drawings and Stained Glass in the Age of Dürer and Holbein
- Ancient gems and finger rings
- Courbet and the modern landscape
- Mummy portraits
- Making architecture
There’s a book or catalog for whatever your art interest is. And, finding relevant titles is fast—their search engine is spectacular. Enter a couple of keywords, download, and enjoy. Their offerings are presented in high-quality pdf form—no special e-reader required—and your downloads never expire.
If you’re not sure where to start, I’d suggest this as a nice first read from the Getty collection.
The Getty’s description reads in part, “At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder were the two most famous painters in Antwerp. They were also close friends and frequent collaborators, who over the course of twenty-five years, from about 1598 to 1625, executed approximately two dozen works together.”
Welcome to the Getty’s Virtual Library. Enjoy.
Thanks so much for this–neat!