Vanishing Point 43 (Veronese) acquired by the National Gallery of Australia

The National Gallery of Australia has acquired Vanishing Point 43 (Veronese) 2023. The work joins the national collection and is also on public display

FIGURE DRAWING: 1901–2023
Collection Display, 3 October 2026 to 21 February 2027

Figure drawing: 1901–2023 is a compelling journey through over a century of artistic engagement with the human form through this universal medium.

This collection display reveals how sketching the figure has remained a vital means of expression, reflection and exploration over more than a century of artistic production. Figure drawing is presented not as a merely technical exercise but instead a dynamic form of thinking—one that allows artists to probe the complexities of identity, memory and emotion. Viewers are invited to consider how the act of drawing connects hand, eye and mind, and how artists have returned to the figure to navigate changing social, cultural and personal landscapes.

The exhibition showcases unique works on paper by Australian and international artists. Highlights include early 20th-century drawings focused on anatomical precision and classical technique, mid-century modernist experiments with abstraction and form and contemporary works that challenge traditional notions of gender, body and self. Each work reveals a distinct artistic approach to the figure—whether intimate, emotional or conceptual.

Through these varied perspectives, Figure drawing: 1901–2023 underscores the enduring relevance of the human body in art and the expressive possibilities of drawing itself.

Vanishing Point 43 (Veronese), 2023
Graphite, acrylic and ink on embossed paper, 95.5 x 86.1 cm