This choice of pieces from the Courtauld’s collection of Spanish drawings, titled The Spanish Line: Drawing from Ribera to Goya, is based on the collection’s first catalogue raisonne, and presents new and sometimes unconfirmed attributions. It also plays with unanimously accepted autographs like Ribera’s Sheet of Studies and Picasso’s Femme assise, which are placed on a red panel. Ribera’s drawing comprises two unrelated preparatory sketches, whilst Picasso’s is larger and appears as a finished work. Despite the obvious differences, the pairing of these works is captivating, suggesting the existence of a recognisable Spanish line.

The pairing succeeds in emphasising Ribera and Picasso as reputed artists. In fact, lesser known draughtsmen were favored by Stirling-Maxwell, a nineteenth-century pioneer in the rather unpopular field of Spanish art, who developed a wide-ranging collection of Spanish drawings, which is now partially at the Courtauld. His portrait features prominently on the exhibition’s introductory panel, while another important contributor to the collection, Robert Witt, is not mentioned. These two scholars consistently collected the work of Alonso Cano, whose drawings hang on the animated north wall. Works previously attributed to him are placed alongside those works newly ascribed, allowing the viewer to compare different artists and test the strength of these new attributions. However, some drawings are displayed together in prominent golden frames, making their attributions appear more concrete and certified than might be suggested by a closer examination of the works.

If the use of golden frames encourages prior judgment about value, it also gives rhythm to the display, which is further varied by the placing of two drawings on pedestals, allowing viewers to see both sides of the re-used sheets. The exhibition succeeds at presenting these drawings as part of the artist’s creative process and workshop practice, rather than as fragile artworks for the connoisseur’s eyes.

Until Jan 15

COSTANZA BELTRAMI