Living Traditions: A Director's Acquisitions of Works on Paper

About

The world-class collection here at the Barber Institute began with drawings. Professor Thomas Bodkin (1887 – 1961), the Barber Institute's first director, made his inaugural purchases for the Henry Barber Trust in 1936 by choosing outstanding Old Master sheets sourced from London dealers and auction houses. Prints followed in 1939. Since then, this aspect of the collection has grown steadily, added to by every director, and now totalling 343 drawings and 596 prints.

Throughout her tenure as the Barber's sixth director, recently retired Nicola Kalinsky acquired 53 works on paper by a whole variety of artists including Carracci, Cox, Dix and Jaray. In this display, Nicola has curated a selection of these works, primarily focusing on examples that feature the human figure.

Display curated by Nicola Kalinsky, Director of the Barber Institute 2013 – 2022.