Old Master Drawings: Guercino, Rubens, Tintoretto

22 October 2010-2 May 2011

Free admission

Detail of 'Head and Shoulders of a Youth', Guido Reni (about 1614)

This exhibition was part of the Liverpool and the World Exhibition Series, part-funded by the European Union. 

Featuring 31 works from the Old Master collections of the Lady Lever and Walker Art Galleries, this exhibition explores how artists have made use of drawing over the centuries.

Some used drawing as a warm-up exercise to loosen their wrists before starting a painting or sculpture, while others used drawing as part of the creative process. This exhibition shows how artists approached their work, from a humorous sketch to a highly-finished altar design.

Among the drawings are 'God creating Adam' by Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640). Rubens was just 23 when he copied 'God creating Adam' painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome by Michelangelo. Some view his drawings as more naturalistic and animated than Michelangelo's original.

Sixteen of the works were bought in 1995 from the Weld-Blundell Collection, formerly at Ince Blundell Hall, near Liverpool.

Explore the details

Use our zoom feature on the images below to get a closer look at the drawings on display.