Trace the Centuries-Long Relationship Between Drawing and Printmaking at the Getty Museum (2025)

Long before the advent of photography, there was drawing and printmaking. For centuries, they allowed artists to capture and mass produce scenes with a level of realism, while also maintaining a distinct graphic style. Still, both media have been historically overlooked in favor of painting, which, in comparison, often dominates art exhibitions, collections, and auctions. The J. Paul Getty Museum, however, is hoping to change that.

Organized in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago, Lines of Connection traces the relevance of and relationship between drawing and printmaking throughout western Europe during the 16th to 19th centuries. The exhibition is ambitious in its scope, gathering about 70 works on paper from such renowned artists as Anton Maria Zanetti, Francisco de Goya, and Albrecht Dürer. Taken together, these pieces offer insight into how, exactly, drawing and printmaking mutually informed one another, and how their artistic production was symbiotic rather than separate.

The exhibition primarily unfolds across four sections, each of which considers different dimensions of the media. “Prints After Drawings,” for instance, emphasizes how printmakers would imitate drawings in order to study an artist’s draftsmanship, publicize collections, and to provide models for art students to copy. Here, we encounter works like Zanetti’s The Old Shepherd, an interpretation of a drawing by Parmigianino. Rather than faithfully reproducing the original composition’s brown color palette, Zanetti opted for pinks and blues, resulting in a more contrasting and vibrant environment.

“Drawings After Prints,” on the other hand, flips that equation on its head, exploring how artists would rely on prints as sources of inspiration for their own drawings. This section also introduces the concept of trompe l’oeil, most prominently through Maurice Roger’s Trompe L’oeil of a Tabletop with Dürer Prints and Printed Matter. Playing with our familiarity of art history, the piece showcases several of Dürer’s prints scattered across a tabletop, each rendered with such realism that we’re nearly deceived into believing they’re real.

Beyond these historical works, Lines of Connection highlights a contemporary manifestation of drawing and printmaking, as seen through Toba Khedoori’s eyes. The Australian artist is most known for her large-scale drawings on paper prepared in wax, but has recently immersed herself in the world of traditional printmaking with the help of the printmaking studio Gemini G.E.L. in Los Angeles. The exhibition gathers examples of the techniques Khedoori has amassed, and how they have since impacted her practice.

“The installation of Khedoori’s works is an invaluable addition to Lines of Connection,” Edina Adam, assistant curator of drawings at the Getty, said in a statement. “Working with the artist and Gemini on this installation has greatly informed the project. Watching and talking to them not only allowed me to learn about the intricacies of printmaking but also gave me insight into the human component of collaboration.”

Lines of Connection is currently on view at the Getty Center until September 14, 2025. To learn more about the exhibition, visit the Getty website.

Now open at the Getty Center, Lines of Connection explores the centuries-long relationship between drawing and printmaking in western Europe.

The exhibition gathers about 70 works on paper by such renowned artists as Anton Maria Zanetti and Albrecht Dürer.

Also featured in the exhibition are works by contemporary artist Toba Khedoori, who recently learned traditional printmaking techniques at Gemini G.E.L. in Los Angeles.

Lines of Connection was organized in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago, and is open at the Getty through September 14, 2025.

Exhibition Information:
Lines of Connection: Drawing and Printmaking
July 1–September 14, 2025
Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049

The Getty Center: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Getty Center.

Related Articles:

How the Summer Solstice and a Ruined Artwork Fit Together at the Getty

Chiharu Shiota’s Newest Exhibition Highlights “Emptiness” by Filling the Void With Webs of Thread

New Exhibition Explores the 60 Artists At the Forefront of Contemporary Fiber Art