This book presents highlights from the collection of Maida and George Abrams, arguably the finest private collection of Dutch seventeenth-century drawings in the world. The works range from studies by renowned masters—including Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Rembrandt van Rijn, Jacob van Ruisdael, Jacques de Gheyn II, Hendrick Goltzius, Hendrick Avercamp, among others—to drawings by lesser-known draftsmen whose contributions are essential to understanding the art of the period.

The volume features seven drawings by Rembrandt, a diverse group by his pupils, a comprehensive survey of Dutch landscape drawing, and figure studies and scenes of daily life by genre artists such as Willem Buytewech and Adriaen van Ostade. The works are explicated in William Robinson’s detailed catalogue entries. George Abrams reflects on recent acquisitions for his collection, and Martin Royalton-Kisch examines the Abramses’ holdings within the tradition of specialized collections of Dutch drawings in England, France, and America.

This book was published to accompany the exhibition at the British Museum, London (June 13–September 22, 2002); Institut Néerlandais, Paris (October 10–December 8, 2002); and the Fogg Museum, Cambridge (March 22–July 6, 2003).

William W. Robinson is Maida and George Abrams Curator of Drawings at the Fogg Museum. Martin Royalton-Kisch is Senior Curator in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum, London.