Most American museums enrich the range and depth of their holdings of works on paper through gifts and bequests from individuals, made in sizable allotments or smaller installments over decades. Such largesse is often the result of close relationships developed over the years and revolving around a shared passion for drawings, questions of taste and budget, and a collector’s belief in a museum’s mission and curator’s vision. This year's conversation features curators reflecting on the joys and pitfalls of collaborating with celebrated collectors.

Over the past twenty-five years, the market for nineteenth-century French drawings has moved from the margins to the center of the drawings field. While works by marquee artists have long been appreciated, the canon has expanded significantly along with the opportunities to acquire excellent sheets by less known draftsmen. Yet the field has not quite […]