A Conversation on French Drawings
from the Bibliothèque nationale de France

Jean-Jacques Lequeu, (French, 1757-1826), Heads of Little Tawny Owls from Cayenne,
before 1825, Pen and black ink, brush and gray wash, 11 5/8 × 7 3/8 in.,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, RÉSERVE HA-80 (C, 8)-FOL

DATE/TIME
Saturday, January 21, 2023; 10:00 am

WATCH THIS EVENT NOW

A virtual conversation with Olivier Meslay, Hardymon Director, Clark Art Institute, and
Corinne Le Bitouzé, Curator and Assistant Director, Department of Prints and Photography, Bibliothèque nationale de France,
in a conversation moderated by Anne Leonard, Manton Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, Clark Art Institute.

In partnership with the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), the Clark is organizing the first exhibition of the library's eighteenth-century French drawings. The selection of eighty-six enchanting studies, architectural plans, albums, sketchbooks, prints, and optical devices expands our understanding of drawing as a tool of documentation and creation in the age of Enlightenment, spanning the domains of natural history, current events, theater design, landscape, and portraiture. Displayed together, these objects immerse audiences in the world of eighteenth-century France-a world shaped by invention, erudition, and spectacle. Works by celebrated artists of the period such as François Boucher (1703-1770) and Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (1724-1780) are featured alongside exquisite drawings by lesser-known practitioners, including talented women, royal children, and visionary architects.

Look for display copies of the exhibition catalogue Promenades on Paper in select galleries January 20-28th.

This event is organized in partnership with the Clark Art Institute.

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This event is in relation to the following exhibition:

Promenades on Paper: Eighteenth-Century French Drawings From the Bibliothèque Nationale de France

Clark Art Institute, (Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA) - December 17, 2022 - March 12, 2023
Musée des Beaux-arts de Tours (France) - May 12, 2023 - August 28, 2023

View the Special Online Exhibition Preview on the MDNY site now!

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