Storied Past
Book (italiano):
The Blanton Museum of Art's collection of old master drawings is recognized for its holdings in Italian renaissance and baroque works. French drawings in the collection, fewer in number but equally as choice, are less well known. This catalogue published on the occasion of an exhibition serves as a corrective. Several of the sheets, such as those by Francois Boucher and Jean-Baptiste Greuze, have been exhibited and published before now, but many of themùincluding the example attributed to Raymond Lafage and sheets by Francois Boitard and Francois-Marius Granetare being presented for the first time. As is customary in such undertakings, new attributions and dates have been proposed, sources identified, and subject matter clarified. In one case, a work thought to have been lost has been rediscovered with a more accurate description of its content. In addition to this foundational art historical research, a conservation study focused on three works that illuminate unusual workshop practices and materials. A majority of the drawings selected for the exhibition and catalogue came to the museum from the Suida-Manning Collection, acquired by two generations of art historians in the first half of the twentieth century, giving us an opportunity not only to examine the objects as objects, but also to study the history of collecting in the United States. From the details in the catalogue entries to the broader contextualization of the essays, the project provides a counterpoint to the traditional narrative of the history of French drawings, posing additional questions about the material and inviting further research.
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