“Today the Getty Museum is under siege. Its former antiquities curator faces an indictment in Italy, and allegations of lavish travel by [museum president Barry] Munitz have led to a wide-ranging investigation by the California attorney general into the trust’s finances. Overlooked in these controversies, some of Mr. Munitz’s critics say, is the harm suffered by the museum itself, including acquisitions, curatorial choices and departures by talented staff members who bridled at Mr. Munitz’s decisions and style.” In fact, some observers believe that the Getty’s problems can be traced all the way back to 1982, when it received the bulk of oilman J. Paul Getty’s fortune and became a major player on the international art scene.