The Frick Museum in New York has a current exhibit featuring drawings from the Courtauld Gallery in London. The exhibit, entitled Mantegna to Matisse is on until January 27, 2013. The collection includes plenty of French artists, including Jean-Antoine Watteau, Charles-Joseph Natoire, Théodore Géricault, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, as well as the aforementioned Henri Matisse. The works represent preliminary sketches as well as finished drawings meant to be enjoyed on their own merits.

The Courtauld has been a leading school for art history for 80 years. The founders believed that it was essential to expose the students to great art – both original and fine reproductions. Today, the Courtauld collection has grown to 7,000 works that cover the Renaissance to the 20^th century. This exhibit showcases 58 of these drawings, many of which have never before been seen in New York. If you can’t get to New York while the exhibit is on, here’s a virtual visit. There are several programs to help you get the most out of your visit, including talks that focus on the French artists, such as “Ingrès and the Female Form” and “Still Lifes by Chardin and Cézanne.”

Today’s expression, tu veux que je fasse un dessin ? (tyew vuh kuh zjuh fass uhn daysah), literally means “do you want me to draw a picture for you?” but figuratively means “do I have to spell it out for you?”  Drawing pictures isn’t something I can do figuratively or literally, but I sure do admire the skill of those who can.

Here’s the exhibit catalogue: Master Paintings from the Courtauld Gallery

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