Drawing transformed radically in 19th-century France, expanding from a means of artistic training to an independent medium with rich potential for exploration and experimentation. This exhibition celebrates the CMA’s internationally recognized holdings of 19th-century French drawings—a cornerstone of its collection since the institution opened in 1916. Over the past century, the CMA has acquired exceptional and diverse sheets—from one with sketches made by a young Edgar Degas during his first trip to Italy to the first drawing by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to enter an American museum collection.
The approximately 50 featured artworks explore the history of drawing in 19th-century France and chronicle the remarkable role the medium has played at the CMA.