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.
