getty

Getty refers to a surname associated with a prominent American philanthropic and art-collecting family, most notably J. Paul Getty and his descendants. The Getty name is chiefly linked to the J. Paul Getty Trust, one of the world’s largest art endowments, established from the wealth and art collection of J. Paul Getty in the mid-20th century.

The J. Paul Getty Trust operates a group of cultural and research institutions in Los Angeles and throughout its programs. Its principal public faces are the Getty Museum system, including the J. Paul Getty Museum in Brentwood (Los Angeles) and the Getty Villa in Malibu, which house extensive collections of European paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, and antiquities. In addition to the museums, the trust oversees the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Foundation, which fund scholarly research, conservation projects, and arts initiatives worldwide.

The Getty Center, opened in 1997 on a hilltop above Los Angeles, is the primary campus of the Getty Museum complex and is known for its architecture, gardens, and expansive views, as well as its research facilities and public programs.

Getty Images is a separate company founded in 1995 by Jonathan Klein and Mark Getty. It operates as a leading global stock photography, video, and editorial imagery provider, licensing visual content to media, advertising, and corporate customers. While sharing the Getty name, Getty Images is not owned by or part of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

In sum, Getty denotes both a distinguished philanthropic legacy in art and culture and a contemporary media company, connected mainly by the shared name rather than corporate affiliation.