THE BUZZ : GETTY GETS GOTHIC ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT.

Byline: - Reed Johnson 

An early 13th-century illuminated manuscript described by its new owners as ``a monument of Gothic painting'' has been acquired by the Getty Museum.

Known as the Avranches Psalter, the 344-page work was acquired privately by the Getty and will join its growing medieval manuscripts collection, one of the Brentwood museum's most important. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Made in an area northeast of Paris, probably in the region of Noyon, at the dawn of the Gothic era in painting, the psalter is 12-1/2 inches tall. Its nine large illuminations contain scenes inspired by the biblical book of Psalms.

``The psalter from Noyon is a key addition,'' said Deborah Gribbon, the museum's deputy director and chief curator. ``As a monument of Gothic painting, it will be a cornerstone of the collection.''

Thomas Kren, curator of manuscripts, said the acquisition will strengthen the Getty's medieval holdings, which include such major works as the Stammheim Missal, the Hedwig Codex and the Spinola Hours.

Getty curators said the style of the new acquisition represents a turning point in the history of European painting, when artists left behind abstract and highly stylized painting in favor of more realistic representation. The Getty's psalter is one of only two major examples of the work of an anonymous artist known as the Master of the Ingeborg Psalter. The other, made for Queen Ingeborg of France, is in that country's Musee Condee in Chantilly.

The psalter will be placed on view at the Getty Museum at the Getty Center in February 2000 as the centerpiece of an exhibition on the Psalms and their illustration, drawn entirely from the museum's rich collection of 164 illuminated manuscripts.

Olney on KCET: Award-winning radio, television and print journalist Warren Olney will team with KCET's vice president of news and public affairs Val Zavala as the new co-hosts of KCET's ``Life and Times Tonight,'' the public television station has announced. The duo will make their debut appearance together on Monday. The program airs at 7 p.m. weekdays.

Since its premiere in 1992 as ``Life & Times,'' the program, which focuses on substantive community concerns, has won four local Emmy awards for best public-affairs series. The show has been without a permanent nightly host since the departure of Yolanda Nava last January.

It is expected that Patt Morrison, Hugh Hewitt and Kerman Maddox will continue as the show's regular commentators.

Olney is the host of ``Which Way L.A.?'' a one-hour daily radio series consisting of guest interviews on local, national and international subjects relating to Southern California. He will continue to host the program, which airs twice daily on National Public Radio station KCRW-FM (89.9).

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