Audain Art Museum exhibits rare drawings from the National Gallery of Canada vault to October 13

Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault features works by Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Elisabetta Sirani, and more

SPONSORED POST BY Audain Art Museum

Edgar Degas’s Racehorses, circa 1895–1899. Pastel on tracing paper, mounted on cardboard. Purchased in 1950 by the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Canada

This summer, the Audain Art Museum presents Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault, a landmark travelling exhibition offering a rare glimpse into the hidden art treasures of the National Gallery of Canada. On view until October 13, the exhibition features over 130 works on paper and canvas by 84 artists, revealing centuries of artistic innovation and storytelling.

Featuring graphite sketches alongside delicate ink, pastel, and watercolour renderings, Gathered Leaves includes a wide range of techniques and styles by internationally celebrated artists. The exhibition highlights renowned figures such as Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Gustav Klimt, Edvard Munch, Marc Chagall, and Wassily Kandinsky, as well as powerful contributions by historically underrepresented women artists, including Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun and Elisabetta Sirani.

The National Gallery of Canada’s collection includes a range of works spanning the 15th to 20th centuries, including master drawings from Italy, France, Germany, and Spain dating to the 1600s. From preparatory studies to vivid pastel compositions, Gathered Leaves offers a compelling look at the diverse roles drawing has played across time, geography, and artistic movements.

Théodore Géricault’s Dying Paris Supplicating Oenone, 1816. Pen and brown ink overgraphite with brown wash on beige wove paper. Purchased in 2014 by the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Photo courtesy of the National Gallery of Canada

Gathered Leaves celebrates the national institution’s century-long commitment to collecting and preserving works on paper. The exhibition also includes recent acquisitions that offer fresh perspectives on art history. Accompanying the exhibition is the beautifully illustrated publication “Discoveries from the Drawings Vault”, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the National Gallery of Canada’s Prints and Drawings Department. Authored by Sonia Del Re with Kirsten Appleyard, with contributions by Erika Dolphin, the catalogue includes new research and curatorial insights.

Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault is organized by the National Gallery of Canada. This exhibition is supported by government partner The Resort Municipality of Whistler, and hotel partner Fairmont Chateau Whistler. The accompanying catalogue is made possible with support from Getty though its Paper Project Initiative.

A special edition of the Audain Art Museum’s Artist Dinner Series will take place on July 18 and August 29. The experience includes an artfully prepared menu by Edge Catering and an exclusive after-hours tour of Gathered Leaves. To reserve tickets and learn more, visit the Audain Art Museum.

Post sponsored by Audain Art Museum.

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