Trip to Norton Simon Musuem in Pasadena, CA

I recently visited the Norton Simon located in the beautiful city of Pasadena. Norton Simon houses a pretty vast array of art from European, Asian, modern and contemporary, prints and photographs. The Norton Simon also has an absolutely amazing sculpture garden located on its premises. I was fortunate enough to visit on a clear and sunny day and had the oppurtunity to take in the true beauty of the garden. The Garden itself is a living work of art, with plants from all over the world. It has a large pond featuring two distinct trees that are true guardians of the garden, a Moreton Bay Fig and a Cockspur Coral Tree that are truly a site to see.

My favorite piece was the Sitting Cheetah which definitely adds a presence to the garden. The artisit Gywnn Murrill, has captured the beauty of this bronze piece with sleek and smooth lines, while making this piece appear extremely life like. Murrill has created a pose that makes the sculpture seems as if it is territorial and on watch of the garden it sits in.

Sitting Cheetah, 1996Gwynn Murrill

American, 1942-Bronze, Edition of 9, Cast No. 739-1/2 x 54-1/2 x 38 in. (100.3 x 138.4 x 96.5 cm)

Norton Simon Museum, Gift of The Ernest Lieblich Foundation

P.2001.01© 2008 Gwynn Murrill

After walking through the garden I found myself heading to the European Art of 14th-16th Centuries where I found several compelling pieces. One particular being the Coronation of the Virgin altarpiece by Guariento di Arpo, that simply pulls you towards it the minute you see it. It is truly an amazing site to see, it is tempera and gold leaf on panels and holds Italian tradition in the way it displays the major events of the New Testament in pictoral form of the life of Christ. This picture doesn't give this altarpiece justice, there is a glow that comes off this work that is truly inspiring and spiritual to the admirer. This piece most likely was displayed at one point in a place of honor, such as a church or cathedral.

Coronation of the Virgin

Guariento di Arpo Italian, c.1310-c.1370

Tempera and gold leaf on panels (32)overall: 86 x 104-3/8 in. (218.4 x 265.1 cm)

Norton Simon Art FoundationM.1987.3.01-32.

P© 2010 Norton Simon Art Foundation

There was a piece that I felt everyone has seen at one point or another, which was Adam & Eve by Lucas Cranach the elder. This is an oil on panel displaying Eve as a temptress with unlikely anatomical proportions. Adam is standing by the tree with the dangling serpent with a ring its mouth clearly showing the temptation of evil. The painting was clearly for pleasure and not for religious use.

Adam and Eve, c. 1530Lucas Cranach the ElderGerman, 1472-1553

Oil on panel (one of a pair)75 x 27-1/2 in. (190.5 x 69.9 cm)

Norton Simon Art FoundationM.1971.1.P© 2010 Norton Simon Art Foundation

Moving to the European 17th and 18th Century section, my favorite piece was an oil on canvas Christ Crowned with Thorns by Matthais Stom. This is truly a depiction of Christ's pain and misery during the cornation. The picture is dark only lit by a single candle light, showing the cruelty and mockery of the people surrounding Christ. This scene is told in three gospels and depicts one of the last and final scenes of Christ.

Christ Crowned with Thorns, c. 1633-39Matthias Stom Dutch,

c.1600-after 1651Oil on canvas43-5/8 x 63-3/8 in. (110.8 x 161 cm)

Norton Simon Art FoundationM.1977.25.

P© 2010 Norton Simon Art Foundation

The Triumph of Virtue and Nobility Over Ignorance by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo is an oil on canvas that was a ceiling painting for the Palazzo Manin in Venice. This painting has a magnificent way of creating an area that is limitless in space. The figures look as if they are floating amongst the vast wall that this piece is hung on. It displays Virtue, Nobility, Fame and Ignorance all within the portrait and dissplays the vanquishing of ignorance. Tiepolo has used rich and saturated colors, which allows the story to be told without any words.

The Triumph of Virtue and Nobility Over Ignorance, c. 1740-50Giovanni Battista Tiepolo Italian, 1696-1770

Oil on canvas (Ceiling painted for the Palazzo Manin, Venice)126 x 154-1/2 in. (320 x 392.4 cm)

The Norton Simon FoundationF.1972.26.

P© 2010 The Norton Simon Foundation

When touring the modern and contemporary art section of the musuem I found a piece called, L.H.O.O.Q by Marcel Duchamp. This is a piece that is humoring the work of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Duchamp has drawn a mustache and goatee on what is considered the ideal of feminine beauty. The name of the painting has the artists sense of humor as well as he plays on the words which in french sounds like"Elle a chaud au cul", which translates to "There is a fire down below". This piece I felt was pushing the envelope more, since it was altering the image of a well known piece representing beauty and making it into an object of humor.

L.H.O.O.Q. or La Joconde, 1964 (replica of 1919 original)Marcel Duchamp French, 1887-1968

Colored reproduction, heightened with pencil and white gouache, Edition of 35, No. 6 (Arturo Schwartz edition)comp:

10-1/4 x 7 in. (26.0 x 17.8 cm); sheet: 11-3/4 x 7-7/8 in. (29.8 x 20.0 cm)

Norton Simon Museum, Gift of Virginia Dwan

P.1969.094© 2008 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris / Estate of Marcel Duchamp

Last but not least the musuem was offering an exhibition on Devine Demons: Wrathful Deities of Buddhist Art. This was nothing like I had ever seen before, it had sculptures, ceremonial daggers and figures that were all beautifully handcrafted. These demons serve as protectors of the Buddhist faith, while depicting blood, fangs, and wicked expressions. Though exuding an eerie feeling while walking thru this exhibit, you can't help but appreciate the craftsmenship of the work.

Mahakala, 19th centuryTibet

Opaque watercolor on cottoncomp: 29-3/4 x 19-1/4 in. (75.6 x 48.9 cm);

mount: 31 x 20-1/2 in. (78.7 x 52.1 cm)

Norton Simon Museum, Gift of Beata and Michael McCormick,

P.2001.07

There are so many more equally beautiful and remarking paintings and sculptures on view at the Norton Simon, however these are just a few that I fell in love with when visiting. This is definitly a musuem of choice when you are trying to stay local and take in what these great artisits have contributed.