Norton Simon Museum- A gem

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Rock Form (Porthcurno) by Barbara Hepworth

Took the opportunity to visit the Norton Simon Museum in Pasedena recently, and it was well worth the trip! 

This museum appears to be tucked away in a lush environment as you drive up the hill to park, (which is free. Refreshing!) The first impression one might get is that it is a relatively modest structure but the walk into the building is lined with quite a few sculptures by Rodin and other artists. This is a hint at the surprisingly extensive collection of the luminaries of art in the Norton Simon Museum. 


   We opted to begin our visit in the sculpture garden.

King and Queen by Henry Moore

Moving inside, we found multiple pieces of art from very familiar names as well as a healthy sampling of work that spanned history.


From Rembrandt van Rijn, to Degas, to Picasso, to Helen Frankenthaler, and more, this collection has something to suit everyone's taste. But let me highlight a few pieces that stood out to me, in the hopes of sparking an interest in visiting this museum.

First, for color inspiration these three landscapes caught my eye:



(l) The Mulberry Tree, Vincent Van Gogh 
(r) Lower Main Street, Murnau, Gabriele Műnter
(bottom) Autumn: The Chestnut Gatherers, George Lacombe

 I was impressed by the patterns and craftsmanship of this chess set:


These two pieces, with the same basic composition, are expertly placed across the room from each other, subtly inviting a comparison. This placement instantly draws attention to each artist's unique style and highlights the contrast between Degas' delicate treatment of the ballet dancer and Lautrec's energetic treatment of the circus performer.

(l) The Star: Dancer en Pointe, Edgar Degas 
(r) At the Cirque Fernando, Rider on a White Horse, Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec

I was amazed to see that this piece by George Romney was painted in 1786, it has such a vigorous, modern sensibility about it.


Lady Hamilton as Madea, George Romney

There are so many more pieces I could share with you, but I let you discover them for yourselves. If you can't make it in person, check out the Norton Simon collection through this link:

Happy travels!







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