Francesco Solimena, The Agony in the Garden.

Francesco Solimena, Design for a Ceiling, c. 1600.

EUROfix II: Master Drawings

September 19, 2009 to February 23, 2010

EUROfix II: Master Drawings highlights a group of important works on paper from the 15th to the 19th centuries, with representation from the French, Italian, Dutch, Flemish, German, and British schools. The drawing is perhaps the most spontaneous and direct expression of the artist, and some believe that it reflects the true spirit of the creator. Whether it is through the first, swift notation, the detailed exploration of a form, or the laying out of a composition, the visual articulation is at its strongest in the act of drawing. Since the Renaissance, draughtsmanship has been regarded as an independent artistic activity, and the drawing as a work of art in its own right. At its root is the “idea” of the work of art as embodied in the drawing or sketch, a concept to be esteemed as highly as the finished object.