Zeichner in Rom 1550-1700

"In the second half of the 16th century, Rome rose to become the leading centre for art in Italy. Like a magnet, it attracted draughtsmen and painters from all corners of the peninsula and their numbers were swelled by counterparts from Germany, the Netherlands, France and Spain, undaunted by the prospect of adventure. What attracted them all was an ambitious and affluent, well-educated public with a refined taste in art and the promise of a flurry of commissions that came with it. In a sweeping arch of themes and projects, the exhibition sheds light on the graphic techniques and newly forged routes that the important artists embarked on in Rome and creates a fresh picture of this diverse and fascinating epoch. Works by Bernini and Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci, Leoni and Maratta, as well as by Claude Lorrain, Breenbergh and Schönfeld reflect an atmosphere of innovation that lay between religious conviction and rationalism, while loosing none of its subtle lyricism."--Pinakothek der Moderne website.