Across the Line: From Old Masters to Modern Vision

Exhibition: 23–30 March 2026 • Paris

O n the occasion of Le Salon du Dessin, Sotheby’s is delighted to present Across the Line: From Old Masters to Modern Vision, a curated selection celebrating the art of drawing from the 16th century to the modern era. Spanning more than four centuries, the presentation brings together several remarkable groups:

A rare ensemble of Old Master drawings loaned from private collections features artists from Northern Europe working in the 16th and early 17th centuries. These sheets reveal the richness, precision and expressive power of drawing at the dawn of Northern Europe’s artistic Golden Age.

The exhibition also includes highlights from the forthcoming Modern & Contemporary sale, with works by leading modern artists, including drawings by Marc Chagall, Edgar Degas and Sam Szafran.

Also featured are highlights from Précieuses reliures d’une bibliophile — Collection Georgette J. Salles and the June Books & Manuscripts sale. They bring together an exceptional group of drawings by major twentieth-century artists, including Robert Delaunay, Pablo Picasso, Pierre Bonnard and André Derain.