“The Thaw Collection is considered among the foremost private collections of drawings assembled over the last half century. It was first promised to the Morgan in 1975 by Eugene V. Thaw, now a Life Trustee, and the museum received the full collection of 424 works in early 2017. In honor of this extraordinary gift—one of the most important in the history of the museum—the Morgan presents Drawn to Greatness: Master Drawings from the Thaw Collection.
The exhibition includes more than 150 masterworks from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. A partial list of artists represented includes Mantegna, Rubens, Rembrandt, Canaletto, Watteau, Piranesi, Fragonard, Goya, Turner, Ingres, Daumier, Degas, Cézanne, Redon, Gauguin, van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Pollock.” — Morgan Library
“It is difficult to summarize in a few words what the acquisition of the Thaw Collection means to the Morgan but ‘transformative’ may be the best single way to describe it,” said Director Colin B. Bailey. “The great range of artists, schools, and regions represented is remarkable. Moreover, the quality of the individual drawings reflects Gene Thaw’s exceptional critical eye—and his keen intellectual curiosity. Over the years Gene’s passionate commitment to the Morgan has never wavered and we can think of no better way to honor him and his late wife, Clare, than to present this exhibition of some of the greatest works from their collection.”
Andrea Mantegna (1431–1506), Three Standing Saints, ca. 1450-1455, pen and brown ink on paper toned with red chalk, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 1985.100. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Vittore Carpaccio (1455? – 1525?), Virgin and Child with Saints in a Landscape, ca. 1500–1510, pen and brown ink and wash over red and black chalk, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2006.46. Photography by Steven H. Crossot.
Jan Bruegel (1568 – 1625), A View of the Tiber in Rome with the Ponte Sisto and Saint Peter’s in the Distance, ca. 1594, pen and brown ink and wash and blue watercolor over black chalk, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2017.20. Photography by Steven H. Crossot.
Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669), Four Musicians with Wind Instruments, ca. 1638, pen and brown and black ink and brown wash, and red and yellow chalk, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2004.42. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1727–1804), Scene of Contemporary Life: The Picture Show, 1791, pen and brown and black ink and wash over black chalk, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2017.253. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Antoine Watteau (1684–1721), Young Woman Wearing a Chemise, ca. 1718, black, red, and white chalk, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2000.53. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732–1806), The Little Park, ca. 1765, paque watercolor over graphite, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 1997.85. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851), The Pass of St. Gotthard, near Faido, 1843, watercolor over graphite, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2006.52. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Francisco de Goya (1746–1828), Leave it all to Providence (Dejalo todo a la probidencia), 1816-20, black ink and gray wash, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 1999.22. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863), Moroccans Outside the Walls of Tangier, 19th century, watercolor and opaque white watercolor over graphite on wove paper, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2017.65. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (1834 – 1917), Seated Dancer, 1871-72, oil paint over graphite on pink paper, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2017.54. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Paul Cézanne (1839 – 1906), The Bathers, ca. 1900, watercolor over graphite, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2017.29. Photography by Steven H. Crossot, 2014.
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), Letter to Paul Gauguin, 17 October 1888, with a sketch of Bedroom at Arles, pen and brown ink on graph paper, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, MA 6447. Given in honor of Charles E. Pierce, Jr., 2007. Photography by Graham S. Haber, 2016.
Paul Gauguin (1848–1903), Crouching Tahitian Woman Seen from the Back, ca. 1902, monotype in watercolor with opaque white watercolor, Thaw Collection, The Morgan Library & Museum, 2017.90. Photography by Graham S. Haber, 2011.
Jackson Pollock (1912–1956), Untitled [Drawing for P.G.], ca. 1943, pen and black ink and wash, green ink wash, red colored pencil, and orange watercolor pencil © 2017 The Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Drawn to Greatness is organized by the Morgan Library & Museum, New York. The curator of the exhibition is Jennifer Tonkovich, Eugene and Clare Thaw Curator of Drawing and Prints.
Images courtesy The Morgan Library.
You must be logged in to post a comment.