Three distinct collections of drawings are currently exhibited at the British Museum, featuring bequests from notable collectors. Richard Payne Knight's bequest includes over a thousand drawings, while Nina Drucker contributed thirty drawings from the 18th to 20th centuries. Additionally, various collectors have gifted works by Antoine Watteau. The exhibition includes depictions of 19th-century London and anatomical studies by Watteau, showcasing the breadth of the medium. Visitors can explore these collections in Room 90, with exhibitions running until September 2025.
The antiquarian and art collector Richard Payne Knight bequeathed over a thousand drawings to the British Museum. Nina Drucker, a collector of 18th to 20th-century art, left her 30 drawings from her collection to the museum.
Some of the drawings depict 19th-century London, with its smokestacks filling the air with pollution, which appears misty and evocative in print, if you overlook the smell and illnesses they actually caused.
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