Norton Simon Museum

Norton Simon Museum One of the world's most remarkable private art collections, home to works by Rembrandt, Degas, Picasso and others.

“The Art of Kandy: Sri Lanka's Last Kingdom” is now open! This focus exhibition features art from Kandy, the final royal...
09/04/2026

“The Art of Kandy: Sri Lanka's Last Kingdom” is now open!

This focus exhibition features art from Kandy, the final royal capital of Sri Lanka before the onset of British colonial rule. From intricately carved ivory sculptures to gem-studded silver objects for the elite, this presentation of small-scale, portable works showcases the skill and ingenuity of the kingdom's artisans.

Now on view through February 8, 2027.

Learn more at nortonsimon.org or use the link in bio.

08/19/2026

Our Sculpture Garden 😍

What do you see when you look at Kandinsky's "Open Green"?Kandinsky was a trailblazer of modern art, a practitioner of r...
08/13/2026

What do you see when you look at Kandinsky's "Open Green"?

Kandinsky was a trailblazer of modern art, a practitioner of radical abstraction and the author of key theoretical works concerned with the spiritual and formal aspects of art. In "Open Green" (1923) his interests in spirituality and form create a dreamscape of color and shape that is both abstract and figurative.

Born in Moscow, Kandinsky was a devoted student of Russian folklore and icon painting. In this painting, the combination of shapes has been read as a depiction of Saint George, the patron of the Russian Orthodox church. With his lance and shield held up high, the equestrian gallops into the heavens.

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Vassily Kandinsky (Russian, 1866–1944), Open Green, 1923, oil on canvas, The Norton Simon Foundation

In this painting, the future Buddha Maitreya takes his place in the celestial realm, the Tush*ta heaven, while he awaits...
08/05/2026

In this painting, the future Buddha Maitreya takes his place in the celestial realm, the Tush*ta heaven, while he awaits his final rebirth. This image would have been displayed in a Tibetan temple during special celebrations, serving as a focal point of veneration for devotees.

The future Buddha Maitreya is portrayed with a small stupa, a dome-shaped reliquary, placed over his hair bun, symbolizing his veneration for the teachings of the Buddha. Maitreya’s hands are shown in the teaching gesture (Dharmachakra mudra), and he is gracefully seated on a lotus throne with his legs hanging straight down. The two goddesses who flank him while holding banners further emphasize the auspicious nature of this celestial being. At the base of the composition, the painting includes the wrathful protector god Vajrapani, who serves as a guardian of the Ta***ic tradition.

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Future Buddha Maitreya, c. 1800, China, Tibet, opaque watercolor on cotton, Norton Simon Museum, Gift of Pratap and Chitra Pal

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