Modern Drawings

Modern drawing marked a break with the classical period in terms of pictorial ideals and stereotypes of feminine beauty. The vision of art and the technique used was personal, with scenes of valour and mythology giving way to everyday life and leisure. Modern drawing does not suggest aestheticism or realism in its primary form, but is designed to satisfy an intellectual and sensory desire.

Modern artists have also explored a variety of media for their drawings. In addition to traditional techniques such as pencil, charcoal and ink, they have used less conventional media such as collage, pastel, gouache and watercolour. These new approaches allowed them to experiment with texture, colour and the layering of different media.

The modern period saw artists seeking more subjective expression and experimenting with new forms of artistic expression. Drawing became a means of exploring the unconscious, emotions and abstract ideas. Lines and shapes were often used to communicate feelings and deep concepts, rather than simply representing objective reality.