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A muscled man in a toga holds a globe on his shoulders while two nude figures and cherubs look on

The Block’s collection of drawings includes several hundred unique works on paper by artists from the United States, Europe, South Africa, and beyond, including sketches, process drawings, architectural plans, figure studies, and finished drawings. The collection spans the spectrum from 16th-century Italian Old Master drawings to 21st-century works in graphite, pastel, charcoal, gouache, ink, watercolor, and collage. Among the collection’s rare holdings are drawings by Italian masters Parmigianino and Francesco Vanni and 1980s works on paper by members of the South African Imvaba Arts Association. Rich in examples of figurative works and abstraction from the 19th century to the present, the collection includes gems by such artists as Laylah Ali, Jay DeFeo, Robert Cottingham, Mxolisi Ganto, Bryan Hunt, Ellen Lanyon, Robert Morris, Sam Nhlengethwa, Sean Scully, David Smith, and many others.

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Study drawing of a nude male figure holding a vase above his head
Bolognese School
ca. 1575
Cropped view of red, yellow, and green neon sign with the letters “RIAL”
Robert Cottingham
1985
Abstract drawing in black and yellow on white paper
Bryan Hunt
1985
A man sits on a chair and leans forward with arms crossed and head down
Charles Keller
1962
Collaged image of a dark-skinned man in a suit with cutouts of figures and architecture behind him
Jabulani Sam Nhlengethwa
1993
Depiction of a haloed Christ kneeling and carrying a large cross on his shoulder
Parmigianino
ca. 1535
Watercolor of alternating vertical grey and tan lines
Sean Scully
Undated
Ink drawing of floating, nude female figure embraced by another figure from behind
Bartholomaeus Spranger
ca. 1586
Two haloed men, one with right arm raised, standing and surrounded by a group of kneeling figures
Francesco Vanni
ca. 1603
Black ink wash drawing with dark intersecting lines and marks layered over gray geometric shapes
Abraham Walkowitz
1932
Thick brushstrokes in black watercolor creating cloud-like abstract form on white paper
David Smith
1956
Man with mechanical arm in a suit and bowler hat, and faint representation of a nude figure at right
Seymour Rosofsky
1979
Profile portrait of man with dark hair drawn over collaged map and ledger paper
Chris Pappan
2018
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