The Many Lives of Drawings

The world’s preeminent collection of Early Modern drawings from the Low Countries, the Rijksmuseum is committed to facilitating the study and appreciation of unique works on paper. The third in a series of drawing-focused workshops organized by the museum since 2019, The Many Lives of Drawings aims to equip participants with tools needed to identify and interpret different types of markings—inscriptions, numbers, symbols, collectors’ marks, and the like—commonly found on Dutch drawings and accompanying mounts. From artists’ signatures to later notes regarding attribution or provenance, these material traces offer crucial evidence about interactions between the drawing and its various owners and handlers across time.

The three-day workshop will utilize the expertise of the Rijksmuseum staff as well as an international roster of invited speakers. There will be opportunities for guided study of early modern handwriting, in-depth discussions of key figures in the history of collecting Dutch drawings, and interactive, hands-on exploration of works from the museum’s collection in the Rijksmuseum’s Study Room.

Apply

The workshop is geared towards early- to mid-career curators, researchers, and art market professionals. All associated travel and accommodation costs will be covered through the support of the Getty through its Paper Project initiative. To apply for the workshop, please submit a C.V. and a letter of interest (650 words max.), highlighting your experience in the field of drawings, outlining your familiarity (if any) with the subject of the workshop, and explaining how the workshop will contribute to the fulfillment of your scholarly, curatorial, and/or professional goals. Please send all application materials to: i.van.tuinen@rijksmuseum.nl. Deadline for applying: Monday 2 December 2024. Successful applicants will be notified by 10 January 2025.

Organizers

Ilona van Tuinen, Head of the Rijksprentenkabinet, Rijksmuseum
Charles Kang, Curator of Drawings, Rijksmuseum
Austėja Mackelaitė, Curator of Drawings, Rijksmuseum
Maud van Suylen, Curator of Drawings, Rijksmuseum
Laurien van der Werff, Academic Researcher, Rijksmuseum