Summer activities

[Marilyn Dalrymple <marilyn160@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello All,

Yesterday I spent the day at the J.Paul Getty Center.  It was a perfect day 
for a visit and all the displys were phenominal.
I especially enjoyed the exhibit, "Oudry's Painted Menagerie," featuring the 
work of artist Jean-Babtiste Oudry.

His animal paintings were inspiring and the jewel of the show was his 
life-size painting of the Dutch rhinoceros who came to be called "Miss 
Clara."  During the middle 1700s, Clara toured Europe and became quite a 
sensation.  Her story is interesting - if you Google "Clara the Rhino," you 
can read about her fascinating life.

My main purpose for going was to view the exhibit of P.H. Emerson's work. 
The prints were photogravure, albumen and platinum prints, the albumen 
prints being my favorites.  It is so inspiring to see the work of great 
photographers "in person."

Among the work of Emerson were photographic prints by Henry Peach Robinson, 
a contemporary of Emerson.  I enjoyed his work as much as I enjoyed 
Emerson's.  A few of Robinson's prints were made by combining negatives and 
the final prints are seamless.

I was surprised by the number of photographers (others from that time period 
were on display along with Emerson) who were "cross-over" artists, being 
excellent oil painters as well as photographers. Emerson often partnered 
with the lesser-known photographer, but rather famous oil painter, Thomasd 
Frederick Goodall and both names were featured on the labels of  some of 
Emerson's prints.  Goodall used many of Emerson's photographs as subjects 
for his paintings.

Another photographic display hanging is "A Place in the Sun: Photographs of 
Los Angeles," by John Humble.  This display didn't do much for me, I'm sure 
others viewing it were impressed, however.

I'm looking forward to more summer adventures at the Getty.  Exhibits 
opening in July will include Edward Weston and Luc Delahaye.

Marilyn