Promenades on Paper

An illustrated exploration of the largely unpublished collection of eighteenth-century French drawings, albums, and sketchbooks at the Bibliothque nationale de France Promenades on Paper explores the largely unmined collection of eighteenth-century drawings held in the Department of Prints and Photography of the Bibliothque nationale de France. Among the 50 featured artists are some of Frances most celebrated eighteenth-century practitioners, including Madeleine Basseporte (17011780), Franois Boucher (17031770), Gabriel de Saint Aubin (17241780), and Jean-Honor Fragonard (17321806), alongside architects, designers, and printmakers. Scattered across the institutions vast reserves, these drawings have until now served primarily documentary purposes. In this book, leading international scholars introduce more than 80 drawings, albums, and sketchbooksmany published here for the first timeand reveal how artists used drawing to record, critique, and try to improve the world around them. Distributed for the Clark Art Institute Exhibition Schedule: Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA (December 17, 2022March 12, 2023) Muse des Beaux-Arts de Tours (May 12August 28, 2023)