Strokes of Genius ─ Italian Drawings from the Goldman Collection

This catalogue presents more than fifty masterful Italian drawings from the 16th and 17th centuries: working drawings, preparatory sketches, and finished compositions that have been added in recent years to the private collection of Jean and Steven Goldman. In her essay, Jean Goldman assesses the role of drawing in the business of art, and the collection within the context of Mannerism. She and Nicolas Schwed coauthor detailed entries on the works’ attributions, subjects, and functions, complete with documentation including provenance, bibliography, exhibition history, and comparative illustrations. The catalogue presents the work of more than forty artists, some of whom, such as Giorgio Vasari and Pietro da Cortona, were major figures, and others who were virtually unknown. Together, these magnificent works trace the rise and evolution of Mannerism in Italy.

Suzanne Folds McCullagh is the Anne Vogt Fuller and Marion Titus Searle Chair and Curator, Department of Prints and Drawings, The Art Institute of Chicago. Jean Goldman is an independent scholar specializing in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art. Nicolas Schwed is an independent scholar and gallery owner in Paris.