Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault

• Featuring works by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Théodore Géricault, Gustav Klimt, Edvard Munch and Wassily Kandinsky
• A collection more than a century in the making

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 4, 2024 /CNW/ - From December 13, 2024, to April 13, 2025, the National Gallery of Canada presents Gathered Leaves: Discoveries from the Drawings Vault. This captivating exhibition marks the Canadian debut of recently acquired international historical drawings, together with lesser-known but significant works straight from the vault. Enjoy this rare opportunity to view remarkable drawings that for conservation reasons are usually kept in the dark. 

"Many exciting discoveries await visitors to the exhibition. Gathered Leaves and its accompanying catalogue celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Department of Prints and Drawings, established in 1921 – the first curatorial division created at the National Gallery of Canada," said Jean-François Bélisle, Director and CEO, National Gallery of Canada. "The Gallery's collection of prints and drawings is one of the finest in North America, and we are delighted to offer the public a taste of these magnificent holdings, especially the latest additions."

The colourful selection of more than 120 drawings from the Gallery's drawings vault is wide-ranging, featuring everything from preparatory works for paintings to subjects drawn from history and mythology, portraits, landscapes, forays into abstraction and poignant explorations of the human condition. The exhibition also includes seven paintings and two sculptures from the Gallery's European and Canadian art collections, and a rare book from the NGC's Library and Archives acquired in 2023.

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Théodore Géricault, Gustav Klimt, Edvard Munch and Wassily Kandinsky are among the many well-known artists whose drawings are featured in the exhibition. Likewise on view is a work by Elisabetta Sirani (dating to circa 1664), the earliest drawing by a woman artist in the NGC's collection.

Canada in the spotlight
While the exhibition is focused on international drawings, there are works that bridge European and American and Canadian art history. On view are two rare watercolours by Robert S. Duncanson, the first African American visual artist of international renown, who fled to Montreal during the American Civil War and helped shape a Canadian school of landscape painting. The first work, which has seldom been seen since its acquisition by the Gallery 60 years ago, is presented alongside what is possibly the only other known watercolour by the artist, rediscovered less than a year ago and promptly acquired by the Gallery. They are joined by two more Canadian views by iconic American artists: Winslow Homer's Cap Diamant and John Singer Sargent's Lake Louise. 

Pioneering women curators
The Gallery has produced a 12-minute video on the history and current activities of the NGC's Department of Prints and Drawings, which can be viewed in the exhibition space. In 1928, the Gallery appointed Canada's first woman curator, Kathleen M. Fenwick, at the helm of the department, a position she would occupy for 40 years. She was succeeded by another long-standing leader, Mimi Cazort. The department continues to be run by women today.

Gathered Leaves will be on view next at the Audain Art Museum from June 15, 2025, to October 20, 2025.  

Catalogue
Gathered Leaves is accompanied by a lavishly illustrated catalogue published by the National Gallery of Canada, which is made possible with support from the Getty Foundation through its Paper Project Initiative. The National Gallery of Canada is the only Canadian organization to receive this prestigious grant. Available at the Gallery's Boutique and online at ShopNGC.ca. 

Public programming
Members will have the opportunity to preview the exhibition on Thursday, December 12, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. The public is invited to celebrate the opening of Gathered Leaves and Jin-me Yoon: Honouring a Long View on Thursday, December 12, 2024, starting at 5 p.m. in the Scotiabank Great Hall, as part of the Gallery's Free Thursday Nights presented by BMO.  

A rich program of in-exhibition experiential activities is offered, notably a Careful Looking section and drawing stations to practise various sketching techniques. Public events include musical performances by the Ottawa Baroque Consort and storytelling by actor David Brennan that offers a dramatic fusion of music, storytelling and art, and Meet the Experts tours with curators Sonia Del Re and Kirsten Appleyard.

About the National Gallery of Canada
Founded in 1880, the National Gallery of Canada is among the world's most respected art institutions. As a national museum, we exist to serve all Canadians, no matter where they live. We do this by sharing our collection, exhibitions and public programming widely. We create dynamic experiences that allow for new ways of seeing ourselves and each other through the visual arts, while centering Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Our mandate is to develop, preserve and present a collection for the learning and enjoyment of all – now and for generations to come. We are home to more than 90,000 works, including one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art, major works from the 14^th to the 21^st century and extensive library and archival holdings. 

Ankosé  –  Everything is connected – Tout est relié 

SOURCE National Gallery of Canada

For media inquiries, please contact: Josée-Britanie Mallet, Senior Officer, Media and Public Relations, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected]; Pénélope Carreau, Officer, Public Relations, National Gallery of Canada, [email protected]