Getty casting call for The Odyssey
You’ve probably heard a lot about The Odyssey—the latest box office spectacle by director Christopher Nolan (opens July 17). Since the film is based on the epic Greek poem attributed to Homer, composed around the eighth century BCE, we thought we’d show you art from Getty’s collection that depicts Odyssey characters, and pair those with the corresponding members of Nolan’s star-studded cast.
Meet characters from The Odyssey in our collection and on film
What scholars of antiquity really thought of The Odyssey
Since Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey hit theaters last month, you could say it’s a good time to be a scholar of ancient history. So what did our scholarly experts think of Nolan’s take on it? Wanting to find out, we assembled a panel eager to see the latest interpretation of this centuries-old story. They walked away brimming with thoughts.
Did Christopher Nolan’s version do the ancient tale justice?
WAtch: The unfolding of an exquisite mechanical table
In this video, curator Miriam Schefzyk tells us about one of her favorite objects in the Getty collection: a mechanical table made in about 1760 in Paris. Its elegant five-sided legs and intricate floral marquetry conceal a host of ingenious features that remain hidden when the table is closed. A simple key serves as the 18th century’s version of a password.
LISTEN OR WATCH: Our Museum Mindfulness Meditation
Observe your thoughts like passing clouds through this week’s episode of Getty’s meditation podcast OMMM: Our Museum Mindfulness Meditation, inspired by Simon Joseph Alexandre Clement Denis’ painting Study of Clouds with a Sunset near Rome.
LISTEN: A totally tubular surfing playlist
To celebrate the last weeks of summer, we created a playlist of surfing classics that pairs well with recent stories like Harry Gesner’s ocean-inspired architecture, artist Raymond Pettibon’s surfboard, or images of Malibu as it crested into an international suring destination.