The Italian Renaissance marked a crucial turning point in Western art. Under the influence of humanist thought, new sources of inspiration emerged and medieval traditions gave way to innovative practices. The role and the status of drawing evolved: it became a favoured tool for study and means of expression, both for the diffusion of models and for the elaboration of ideas.

This exhibition highlights the different functions of drawing and the development of its use in 15th and 16th century Italy through the presentation of some one hundred sheets on loan from the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts. Assembled in Rome between 1737 and 1756 by the painter Lambert Krahe (1712-1790), this collection was notably used for teaching purposes, offering aspiring artists exceptional access to the works of masters such as Correggio, Perugino, Vasari and Veronese.