About the Master Drawings

The Master Drawings Collection (about 5,000 original drawings) offers works by artists of various nationalities. Although most of the images date from between 1830 and 1930, the oldest drawings were created before 1600 and the most recent in the 1950s. The collection represents diverse styles and media and includes finished artworks as well as sketches, preparatory drawings, and designs related to fine prints, paintings, and sculpture.

Most of the drawings are by American artist Joseph Pennell (1857-1926), who bequeathed his large archive to the Library of Congress. The Master Drawings Collection also features notable drawings by James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903), Rockwell Kent, Jean François Millet, and many other artists. For a full list of artists represented in this collection, see the Creator/Related Name Index. The Prints and Photographs Division continues to add to this collection, primarily through gifts.

Catalog records describe each of the approximately 3,700 loose drawings and summarize some 40 sketchbooks that contain about 1,300 drawings. Digital images for some drawings are online, and more will be added in the future.

Information about obtaining copies is available through the "How to obtain copies of this item" link near the top of each catalog record. Rights information is included in each catalog record.