This exhibition invites visitors to consider what drawings look like, what they were made from, and why they were made. Highlighting the most common drawing materials and techniques employed by European artists from the 1500s through the 1800s, seven sections discuss some of the functions these works served in the artists’ studios and the world beyond. This emphasis on materials and purposes moves beyond chronology or national classifications, encouraging nonlinear explorations of variety of works European artists produced during their first 400 years of drawing on paper the remarkable variety of works European artists produced during their first 400 years of drawing on paper.
The exhibition features a large number of drawings by Dutch and Flemish artists, including Hieronymus Bosch, Maarten van Heemskerck, Anthony van Dyck, Pieter Jansz. Pourbus, Hendrik de Clerck, Cornelis Saftleven, Gérard de Lairesse and others.
The RISD Museum’s collection exists to teach and inspire the next generations of artists and makers, and it continues to be a resource for exploration, critical reflection, and wonder for wider audiences. Drawing Closer is the first step, whether you are encountering these works for the first time or looking at them afresh.
The exhibition is curatored by Jamie Gabbarelli, Prince Trust Associate Curator, Art Institute of Chicago.