Detail

DRAWINGS
DRAWINGS
DRAWINGS

DRAWINGS

The collection of drawings was launched at the start of the 19th century thanks to very active support from patrons. Its original focus was the local artistic scene (including Maximilien de Meuron and Léopold Robert) and artists with links to Neuchâtel (the Lorys, Alexandre Calame, Albert Anker and others). Substantial sets of preliminary studies show that drawing was a central element in their training, after which they continued to draw both from nature and in the studio. The collection comprises over 5,000 items dating from the 17th century until modern times.

Notable 20th-century exhibits include Japanese-influenced compositions by the Neuchâtel artist Jean-Bloé Niestlé, watercolours by Paul Bouvier, and pastels by Berthe Bouvier and Alfred Blailé. Alongside works by André Evrard and Jean-Michel Jaquet of Neuchâtel, there are drawings by foreign artists such as Thomas Müller of Germany and Marie-Thèrese Vacossin of France. In 1979, the Amez-Droz Bequest enlarged the collection with a number of works by prestigious artists such as Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro and Armand Guillaumin. Recent acquisitions reflect current trends in drawing that are often at odds with its traditional scope.