Timken Museum of Art Apartments For Rent - Balboa Park, San Diego, California

Posted by Alecia Ormsby on November 09, 2008 22:19

Free admission to a world class art museum is always welcome, especially when you're visiting the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park, which is also free to visit. The complimentary admittance is not a reflection of the incredible art inside.

The permanent collection of the museum, the Putman Foundation Collection, was donated by Amy and Anne Putnam and includes American art, Russian icons and a wide expanse of European

paintings. Each painting has a short description of the art itself underneath it, illustrating the history of the events taking place in the picture or details about the artist. Art by Italian, French, Dutch and Flemish artists are portrayed in an impressive architectural building near the Botanical Building.

Landscapes, portraits and still life paintings make up the American collection by such artists as Eastman Johnson, Raphaelle Peale and George Inness. A featured painting among the Dutch artists is "Saint Bartholomew" by Harmensz van Rijn Rembrandt, the only such Rembrandt in San Diego. Beautiful portraits and landscapes are found in the French Collection, while the Italian collection features many Christian and Catholic saint scenes.

The Russian Icons are dated from the 15th and 16th centuries, and are tempura paint on linen or wood in impressive sizes. These served in early churches representing Christianity.

A separate section of the museum houses exhibits on tour, from American to Eastern artists. Check the website to see what's coming up. And if your apartment social group would like to organize a personalized tour, or hear a speaker on a particular topic, call the museum to arrange it approximately one month in advance.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4:30 pm, and Sundays 1:30-4:30 so staff can go to church, the museum is closed during the month of September. At the Timken, donations are always welcome, and occasionally, a touring exhibit may require an admission price, and always worth it.