NORTON SIMON MUSEUM, Pasadena, California

Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California, view from sculpture garden

On a recent Sunday afternoon we visited the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, one of my favorite art museums in the LA area.  Familiar as a backdrop for the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, it had been a long time since we had been inside to view the collections.  Walking up from the parking lot to the main entrance we passed the Burghers of Calais and several other Rodin sculptures, bringing back memories of our visit to the Rodin Museum in Paris.

14 year-old Dancer by Edgar Degas

We were reminded of Paris again on the inside as we viewed the impressive collection of Impressionist works, notably more than 100 pieces by Degas. I was pleased to see his sculpture of the young dancer (in the photo you can't see the yellow silk ribbon tying back her hair.)  On our visit to Paris in 1998, we took an almost identical photo of me with this sculpture in the Musee d'Orsay.  The statue was originally cast in 1922. Twenty-seven copies have been made.  Later, on our way out of the museum we received a (free) beautiful frameable print of a Degas painting. 

Hiroshige, Noto Province, Waterfall Ba

In a small gallery off the main foyer was a wonderful temporary exhibit, Lessons of the Cherry Blossoms, Japanese Woodblock Prints, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Japan’s gift of 3000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C. in 1912.  Each print in the exhibit features cherry trees or cherry blossoms and explores the significance of cherry blossoms in Japanese culture. While most of the prints are landscapes, or meisho, some are of beautiful women.  Japanese artists often equated beautiful women and cherry blossoms as symbols of the temporary nature of beauty and life.  The detail in the prints is remarkable as is the subtle range of colors.  A fold-out book in a glass case demonstrated how separate blocks add each new level of color and detail.  The exhibit closed September 2nd.  The prints are all from the Norton Simon permanent collection.

It was a beautiful day to be outside so after a refreshing drink in the Garden Café, we took a stroll around the pond and sculpture garden.  Apparently, some of the trees in the garden were gifts of naturalist John Muir to the Carr family, the original owners of the property, who settled it in the late 1870's.  Tucked into shady nooks and open spots along the path are sculptures by Henry Moore and various other 20th century sculptors.

The Basel Murals by Sam Francis

We then went back inside to spend some time in the 20th century wing and pay a visit to the 17th and 18th century rooms and admire the Rembrandts.  I’m always amazed by how much art is packed into this museum and the quality of the collection.  On this visit we focused on the exhibits on the main level .  The whole lower level features the collection of South and Southeast Asian art.  We’ll have to go back another day and start there.
For information about visiting the Norton Simon, click here.