Making a Mark: Dazzling Drawings from the Cottonian Collection
The Box, Plymouth
When: 04 February 2023 to 04 June 2023
Where: The Box, Tavistock Place, Plymouth PL4 8AX
Time: 10am - 5pm
Cost: Admission free. No need to book.
Suitable for: Any age
10am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday + selected bank holidays
This exhibition showcases over 40 rare and important drawings dating from the 1600s-1700s from The Box’s Cottonian Collection – arguably Plymouth’s most significant fine art collection, and one which has been designated by the UK Government as being of international importance.
'Making a Mark' highlights the methods, materials and centuries-old approaches to drawing that still inspire contemporary artists today. It includes a work in chalk and graphite by Rubens (1577-1640) and an ink drawing attributed to Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).
The drawings show a range of subjects from epic stories to landscapes to fantasy. Many were created by artists who made drawings to test out ideas for larger, final artworks. Some used drawing to both teach and learn. Others used it as a tool to express their imagination. They were made when traditional materials associated with drawing, such as paper, ink and pencil were more readily available and drawing became an essential tool of artistic practice.
The exhibition also features a selection of plaster casts, ceramics and books and a dedicated space where you can relax, reflect and get creative.
Exhibitions & Projects
-
Vernon C Boyle: Uncovering an Archive
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
22 March 2025 to 10 May 2025
-
FOOD: beyond the plate
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
22 March 2025 to 29 June 2025
-
The Valley: Art on the border a cultural history of Marsland
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
24 May 2025 to 05 July 2025
-
Emma Stibbon RA: Melting Ice | Rising Tides
The Burton at Bideford art gallery and museum
10 May 2025 to 05 July 2025
-
North Devon Arts: Spring into Summer Exhibition
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
31 May 2025 to 12 July 2025
-
Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes
The Box, Plymouth
24 May 2025 to 07 September 2025
-
Six Weeks To Go
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
31 March 2025 to 31 October 2025
-
Kingsbridge 1939 1945 : The Image and the Place
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
31 March 2025 to 31 October 2025
-
Jyll Bradley: Running and Returning
The Box, Plymouth
05 April 2025 to 02 November 2025
-
Coastal Threads: Textile Art
Fairlynch Museum Budleigh Salterton
01 May 2025 to 02 November 2025
-
Jyll Bradley: Life and Influences
The Box, Plymouth
05 April 2025 to 02 November 2025
