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Re-Imagining and Ancient Landscape: Work at J. Paul Getty Villa05-31-06 | News

Re-Imagining and Ancient Landscape: A Second Phase of Work at California?EUR??,,????'???s J. Paul Getty Villa

By Erik Skindrud, regional editor

A computer-generated rendering shows the J. Paul Getty Villa site in a canyon near Malibu, Calif. Additions completed during the 1997-2006 renovation include an amphitheater (upper left) and the L-shaped north campus building near the top of this image. This idealized view omits homes that surround the villa on all sides. Ancient Roman villas were often sited on overlooks, and were unlikely to be built in a similar enclosed space. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

A grand reopening took place on the slopes of the Italian volcano Vesuvius in 2003. For the first time in almost 2,000 years, one of the largest and most impressive of Roman villas opened its doors after centuries of entombment under volcanic welded tuff. Three years later, in January of this year, another ceremony marked the reopening of a full-scale reproduction of the famed Villa dei Papiri in Malibu, Calif.

The main peristyle garden is flanked by covered walkways held up by fluted Doric columns. The walls are adorned with trompe l?EUR??,,????'???oeil landscape paintings that add the illusion of space. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

The director of the ongoing excavation on the slopes overlooking the Bay of Naples had superlative praise for the luxury home. ?EUR??,,????'??It is without rival among Roman villas,?EUR??,,????'?? British historian Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, said at the Italian event.

Named for its large papyrus library, the Villa dei Papiri has had many fans over the years. The most prominent may have been American oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, who became fascinated with the building on frequent art-buying trips to the Mediterranean. When Getty?EUR??,,????'???s burgeoning California collection outgrew its space, careful and accurate drawings of the Italian villa were used to build a faithful reproduction.

Project architects Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti created this open-air amphitheater as a new focus for the Getty Villa campus. A coffee shop and restaurant is at left. The north campus office complex can be seen at center background. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

Unlike its Italian model, the California villa does not overlook the sea but resides in a canyon surrounded by streets, homes and eucalyptus trees. The setting is a departure from accuracy, but does have the advantage of protecting the gardens from traffic noise and the northwest winds that blow off the Pacific during the summer months. The sheltered spot also has the advantage of a favorable microclimate for roses and other plants that find coastal mist stressful.

At the Getty Villa this is no small point, because the gardens are no less impressive than the other buildings. The regal main peristyle garden, adjoining herb garden, inner peristyle garden and east garden are world highlights and unique in terms of complete and living restorations of Roman landscape architecture (see sidebar at bottom).

An elevated view takes in the pleasing geometry of the Villa?EUR??,,????'???s main peristyle garden. The garden sits on top of a parking structure in soil 18 to 30 inches deep. The shallow depth prompted the design team to create raised planters for the garden?EUR??,,????'???s trees. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

In spite of its landmark status, villa aficionados recently endured a nine-year hiatus as the building and grounds underwent a renovation that added campus-like features and facilities, including an amphitheater, patio and caf????(C) and additional conservation and office facilities. The museum is now called the J. Paul Getty Villa to distinguish it from the larger J. Paul Getty Center museum and campus overlooking Los Angeles at Brentwood, Calif.

The enhanced villa features were designed by the Boston architectural firm, Machado and Silvetti Associates, Inc.

The east garden shortly after the Villa renovation. English ivy rings the fountain. By May 2006 the fountain was planted with pink-flowering aquatic lotus (Nymphaea) and yellow bearded iris. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

Visitors to the renovated villa will find the main gardens intact, largely the way they?EUR??,,????'???ve looked since the museum opened in 1974. There are a few changes, however. Additional research into ancient gardens by the late Landscape Architect Denis L. Kurutz suggests that Roman plantings were less formal than the Malibu villa?EUR??,,????'???s when first laid out. Matt Randolph, who continues Kurutz?EUR??,,????'???s work there, says the main gardens have been replanted in a ?EUR??,,????'??looser and more eclectic?EUR??,,????'?? style.

?EUR??,,????'??The Romans would not have spent a lot of time manicuring, ?EUR??,,????'?? Randolph said. ?EUR??,,????'??Even though they did produce topiary, what was placed between would have been more loose and natural.?EUR??,,????'??

This complex geometric hardscape is composed of more than 4,000 pieces of marble. Based on a floor uncovered at the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum, this dazzling piece of work is made up of gray-toned marble from Turkey, gray-green stone from Greece and yellow-toned Tunisian stone. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

Randolph also planted two food trees beloved by the Romans: date palm and strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo: from the Latin, unem edo: ?EUR??,,????'??I eat only one.?EUR??,,????'??

Design Continuity

Matt Randolph graduated from Cal Poly Pomona?EUR??,,????'???s landscape architecture program in 1996. He started work with Dennis L. Kurutz, the Pasadena landscape architect who did most of the villa?EUR??,,????'???s research and design work in the early 1970s.

Kurutz would not live to see the villa?EUR??,,????'???s gates reopen. In February of 2003 he succumbed to complications following a lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis. He was 61.

Landscapes rendered on wet plaster, known as frescoes, were a much-loved classical art form. Few have survived. Several examples were preserved in Pompeii and Herculaneum by the 79 eruption of Vesuvius. Mural artist Garth Benton created this painting during the renovation. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

While planning the villa, Kurutz completed rigorous research that included ancient texts and trips to Italy and the Mediterranean. He looked to Roman writers including Pliny the Younger, a witness to the 79 eruption who wrote letters describing configurations and plantings at his own villas. Kurutz also consulted the Greek physician and herbalist Pedanius Dioscorides, who compiled a list of close to 600 plants known and cultivated in the ancient world around the first century.

Kurutz found more guidance and inspiration in a garden fresco discovered in the remains of Livia Drusilla?EUR??,,????'???s villa?EUR??,,????'??+the wife of Emperor Augustus. The well-preserved wall painting today sits in Rome?EUR??,,????'???s National Museum, where it preserves details of fruit tree, shrub and flower plantings that likely graced the villa?EUR??,,????'???s grounds.

When he started the job, Kurutz was a partner with Emmet L. Wemple and Associates of Los Angeles. Kurutz later formed his own firm, and remained the Malibu villa?EUR??,,????'???s primary landscape designer until his death.

The snowflake-like plant at left is Artemisia stelleriana, commonly sold as Dusty Miller. Acanthus (Acanthus mollis, below) is an iconic Roman plant that is prominently planted at the Getty Villa. Impressed by the elegant shape, ancient designers modeled the Corinthian column on flowering acanthus stalks.

Landscape architect Randolph, who continues Kurutz?EUR??,,????'???s vision and work, said he consults original drawings Kurutz created in 1971.

?EUR??,,????'??Denis drew the plans and did most of the extensive research on Mediterranean plants and Roman gardens,?EUR??,,????'?? Randolph said.

Kurutz was scrupulous about detail, but understood that climate differences between the Southern California coast and the hotter Mediterranean.

?EUR??,,????'??We?EUR??,,????'???re a little foggier than Herculaneum,?EUR??,,????'?? the Landscape Architect explained to the Los Angeles Times in 1987. The difference prompted a decision to plant Japanese boxwood rather than European boxwood in the main garden.

A Garden Visit

Roman villa owners like Pliny were broadly educated and ran their own farms and estates, installing gardens based on standard models. They were also slave owners, and would assign a crew to maintain a site?EUR??,,????'??+the number of slaves depended on the size of the grounds. Skilled foremen were valued workers and bore titles indicating the scope of their duties. The ?EUR??,,????'??Topiarius?EUR??,,????'??? was in charge of shrubs and pruning; an ?EUR??,,????'??Aquarius,?EUR??,,????'??? was skilled in ditch construction and irrigation.

A view down a decomposed granite walkway in the villa?EUR??,,????'???s herb garden, located outside the main peristyle garden. The tree near the camera is a pomegranate (Punica granatum). Date palms (Phoenix dactilifera) can be seen at right background. Pleasantly-scented groundcover, including Roman chamomile, carpets the ground at left. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

The Getty Villa has its own crew of workers?EUR??,,????'??+and they work hard but are no slaves. But several share one thing in common with their Roman predecessors?EUR??,,????'??+a decades-long connection to a single estate. In 1973, Richard Naranjo was a young foreman supervising the villa?EUR??,,????'???s original landscape installation. When the job of head gardener opened up he applied and got the job. This spring Naranjo was in the process of retiring, although he will doubtless continue to influence remaining workers and supervisors.

At the grounds department?EUR??,,????'???s sparkling new office and break room a black-and-white photo shows Naranjo and a group of co-workers close to 30 years ago. Standing with the chief is Juan Romero, who is still a member of the ground crew and took time recently to show a curious visitor around.

Romero recalled the sweat and the transformation the nine-year renovation wrought. The job included boxing, storing and replanting more than 100 cork and holly oaks, olive and Italian stone pines that were standing in the way of construction.

An Italian stone pine (left) and Italian cypresses line a walkway that gives visitors a new perspective of the Villa. Crews moved close to 100 existing trees and added as many as 1,200 new trees during the renovation. Small retaining walls were created to secure many hillside tree plantings, like the pine seen here. Photo Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust

Today, the villa?EUR??,,????'???s in-house crew numbers about 14. Additional workers from contractor ValleyCrest helped finish the job.

?EUR??,,????'??We did a lot,?EUR??,,????'?? Romero recalled. ?EUR??,,????'??It is very different now. You can see the thought that the architects put into it, building it in many layers, like an excavation.?EUR??,,????'??

Back in Italy, new discoveries are likely as the original villa awaits further excavation. That project will last decades and cost tens of million of dollars. In the meantime, visitors can always return to Malibu.

Were he to return, it?EUR??,,????'???s likely that Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesonius (Julius Ceaser?EUR??,,????'???s father in law and the Herculaneum villa?EUR??,,????'???s owner) would feel at home at Getty?EUR??,,????'???s California creation.

The 79 A.D. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius buried and preserved the Roman resorts of Pompeii and Herculaneum. This photo shows the still-active mountain?EUR??,,????'???s 1944 eruption, which destroyed the towns of San Sebastiano and Massa. PHOTO COURTESY OF Stromboli Online, www.swisseduc.ch

Roman Landscape Design

Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (63-ca. ?EUR??,,????'??? 113), better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, scientist and Landscape Architect of ancient Rome. His villa?EUR??,,????'???s landscaping was among his proudest creations, as this letter attests.

To Gallus:

You are surprised, you say, at my infatuation for my Laurentine estate, or Laurentian if you prefer it so. You will cease to wonder when you are told the charms of the villa, the handiness of its site, and the stretch of shore it commands?EUR??,,????'???

The exercise ground has a border of boxwood, or rosemary where the box does not grow well?EUR??,,????'??+for box thrives admirably when it is sheltered by buildings, but where it is fully exposed to wind and weather and to the spray of the sea, though it stands at a great distance from them, it is apt to shrivel. On the inside ring of the exercise ground is a pretty and shady alley of vines, which is soft and yielding even to the bare foot. The garden itself is clad with a number of mulberry and fig trees, the soil being specially suitable for the former trees, though it is not so kindly to the others. On this side, the dining-room away from the sea commands as fine a view as that of the sea itself. It is closed in behind by two day-rooms, from the windows of which can be seen the entrance to the villa from the road and another garden as rich as the first one but not so ornamental. Along its side stretches a covered portico, almost long enough for a public building?EUR??,,????'???

In front of the portico is a terrace walk that is fragrant with violets. The portico increases the warmth of the sun by radiation, and retains the heat just as it keeps off and breaks the force of the north wind. Hence it is as warm in front as it is cool behind. In the same way it checks the southwest winds, and similarly with all winds from whatever quarter they blow?EUR??,,????'??+it tempers them and stops them dead?EUR??,,????'???

Well, do you think that I have just reasons for living here, for passing my time here, and for loving a retreat for which your mouth must be watering, unless you are a confirmed town-bird? I wish that your mouth did water! If it did, the many great charms of my little villa would be enhanced in the highest degree by your company. Farewell.