Lines of Thought: Drawing from Michelangelo to Now explores the vital role of drawing as a continual and active process of discovery.

Seventy works from the British Museum’s world-renowned collection examine the many ways thinking on paper has taken form across continents and centuries, from an ancient Egyptian papyrus to works by such well-known artists as Leonardo da Vinci and Pablo Picasso to artists working today, including William Kentridge and RISD alumna Julie Mehretu.

Some works capture a fleeting thought or externalize the germ of an idea; others synthesize an elaborate plan or brainstorm multiple solutions to a problem. The exhibition as a whole investigates the ability of drawing to show the direct and immediate relationship between the artist and their material, and the continuing importance of drawing today.