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Drawing, J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles: Site Study 1
This is a Drawing. It is dated September 4, 1986 and we acquired it in 2009. Its medium is graphite on tracing paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.
This preparatory drawing provides an especially interesting and revealing glimpse into architect Richard Meier’s design process. Meier is one of the preeminent architects of the late 20th century and the Getty Center is unquestionably Meier’s most ambitious and most celebrated creation. This early drawing of the Getty’s complex layout shows the architect developing the orientation and regulating grids for the architecture, which are based on the 22.5 degree angle of the San Diego Freeway as it comes from the south and bends to the north below the Center. This is also the same angle as the two intersecting ridges that run through the complex. Superimposed on the two orientation lines, Meier has set two grids on which he has begun to lay out a grouping of museum pavilions and a visitor arrival area.
Although the museum’s collection includes prints by Meier, this drawing, together with another drawing proposed for acquisition, would be the first drawings by Meier to enter the collection. As a pair, they make a great addition to the museum’s collection of contemporary architectural drawings and prints.
This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Searching for Perfection.
It is credited Gift of Ana Meier.
- Model 500 Telephone
- molded plastic, metal, rubber.
- Transfer from Exhibitions Department.
- 2009-50-1-a/c
- Drawing, Design for a Private House, Morbio Superiore, Switzerland
- graphite on tracing paper.
- Museum purchase through bequest of Erskine Hewitt.
- 1985-63-2
- Drawing, First Studies, Villa Stein-de Monzie, Garches, France
- graphite on white paperboard, mounted on canvas.
- Museum purchase from James B. Ford and Peter Cooper Hewitt Estate Funds.
- 1936-60-2
Our curators have highlighted 7 objects that are related to this one. Here are three of them, selected at random:
- Chair (USA)
- painted wood.
- Gift of Knoll International.
- 1990-139-3
- Drawing, Collage Perspective, Museum of American Folk Art, New York City
- photo-offset and photo-collage, white and blue crayon on white paper.
- Gift of Tod Williams Billie Tsien.
- 2001-18-5
- Drawing, Phillips Exeter Library, Exeter, NH: Sketch of Plan with Elevations
- graphite on yellow tracing paper.
- Museum purchase through gift of Anonymous Donor, Architectural Research....
- 2012-22-1
Its dimensions are
61 x 94 cm (24 x 37 in.) Frame (existing): 102.9 x 102.9 x 5.9 cm (40 1/2 x 40 1/2 x 2 5/16 in.)
It has the following markings
Stamp in black, lower right: SITE STUDY 1/4 SEPT 86
It is inscribed
Inscribed in graphite, upper right and along a diagonal from left to right: orientation of grid related to the San Diego Freeway; on diagonal from corner, lower left and running from lower left to upper right: orientation of grid related to north-south direction/and high points and blueprints of site
Cite this object as
Drawing, J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles: Site Study 1; USA; graphite on tracing paper; 61 x 94 cm (24 x 37 in.) Frame (existing): 102.9 x 102.9 x 5.9 cm (40 1/2 x 40 1/2 x 2 5/16 in.); Gift of Ana Meier; 2009-15-1
This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibitions Making Design and Meier 75.
