Yesterday, we had the opportunity to visit the Getty Villa in Malibu. (We also hit Manhattan Beach and the amusements at the Santa Monica Pier).
I hadn't really had a deep appreciation of Greek and Roman antiquities despite high school classes (thank you, Mrs. Boyar) and some in college.
However, yesterday, as we strolled the beautiful grounds overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I found myself with a newly discovered sense of appreciation for their enormous efforts. The sculpture work and the mosaic work take tremendous amounts of effort and skill.
I was thinking about the artists who created these magnificent works--long dead, of course--and the gift that they have given us thousands of years later to experience their handiwork and their craft.
I am grateful that there are people who develop their skills to create something of beauty and who want it to outlive them as their contribution to the human race and civilization. It's more than art, of course, as this can happen in many walks of life, but I was thankful for these artists in this case.
They spent a lifetime refining their skills and there is still a return on their investment, even if they personally don't realize it. I wonder though, perhaps that was their motivation?
In any event, I am grateful for the artists of previous centuries.
Subscribe to RSS Feed