GETTY VILLA - THE VILLA DEI PAPIRI RE-IMAGINED - MALIBU CA (Click on thumbnail for full image)

J. Paul Getty wanted visitors to experience Greek and Roman art in a setting that would bring the objects to life. He decided to build a new museum on his property overlooking the Pacific, a site that closely resembles the ancient Mediterranean coast.

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This villa is personal for me because my Italian grandmothers family was raised in that region.

My fathers mother, my grandmother was a Morillo. My great grandfather, her father was Dominick and mother Carmella. They came from Torre del Greco near Mt Vesuvius.

A Silenus bronze features here in the Herb Garden's main fountain. Photo 3

Bronze replica stature of the Satyr in the outer Peristyle found at their ancient findspots Photo 4

The Getty Villa is devoted to the study and display of art from the ancient world. Housed in a spectacular recreation of an ancient Roman villa. The resulting Getty Villa was modeled on the Roman Villa dei Papiri, a grand country residence on the Bay of Naples that was buried by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ad 79.

Inner Peristyle fountain with five bronze statues depicting the Danaids or water-carriers. Photo 5

Torre del Greco, city, western Campania regione (region), southern Italy. It lies at the southwestern foot of Mount Vesuvius. It is located on the Bay of Naples and is a southeastern suburb of Naples.

The capitals of the Corinthian columns on the south side are inspired by the curling leaves of the acanthus plant. Photo 10

Cyclades, Greece. Female Figure in marble of the Precanonical type. 2800–2700 B.C Photo 12

Aphrodite Statue returned to Italy Photo 14

Two bronze wine storage jars from Campania 1-79 A.D.. On the right a Storage jar with a female figure, Roman Photo 16

Two-thirds destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 1631, Torre del Greco was rebuilt on the solidified lava.