Drawings & Pastels

Drawing is a type of graphic art created with lines and areas of tone applied to paper usually with pencil, charcoal and coloured pencil, but a wash may also be applied.

They frequently serve as preparatory studies for other works, but are also considered works of art in their own right. A practitioner of drawing is known as a draughtsman.

Pastels are created using a stick made of pure pigment and a binder.

A key part of the general art market, both are also specialist collecting areas in their own right.


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Early Japanese sketches and photos reveal ‘the dress, manners, customs and country of the people’

30 June 2025

Sketches at the Time of the Commencement of British Intercourse with Japan, an album containing 76 watercolours and drawings and 126 wood engravings from the last days of the Edo period, sold for £16,000 at Dominic Winter (22% buyer’s premium).

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Rare work by short-lived artist Horny comes to the saleroom

23 June 2025

Works by the tragically short-lived German artist Franz Horny are by necessity relatively rare.

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Largest Tirzah Garwood group to emerge in one go sets a test of the market

16 June 2025

The most extensive selection of works to come on the open market provides an opportunity to assess the market for the Modern British print specialist

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Museum interest notable at 33rd Salon du Dessin

19 May 2025

International museum and institutional interest is always a feature of the Salon du Dessin but this year it was even more marked with nearly 500 curators attending.

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Anatomical studies stand out as highlight of Paris drawings sale

19 May 2025

Sheet of various figures and body parts in red and white chalk set an auction record for Primaticcio

Indian cat painting

Rare animal sketches bring demand in single-owner collection of Indian works

16 May 2025

Two pictures with natural history subjects drew the strongest competition among the Indian works of art consigned from the collection of the late Francis Golding (1944-2013) to a recent Roseberys’ (26% buyer’s premium) sale.

The Wife by Tirzah Garwood

Rediscovered Tirzah Garwood prints and drawings emerge at Cheffins

07 May 2025

The largest group of works by Tirzah Garwood (1908-51) to ever come on the open market in one go will be offered at Cheffins later this month.

Fernando Llanos drawing

Salvator Mundi drawing from Leonardo’s studio makes five times estimate

01 May 2025

An unfinished drawing of the Salvator Mundi attributed to Leonardo da Vinci's workshop drew strong competition at Dorotheum of Vienna this week.

Jiang Tingxi bird

‘Extraordinary discovery’: Kangxi bird paintings valued at £800,000 emerge at Roseberys

23 April 2025

A group of 19 album leaves from the celebrated ‘Imperial Manual of Birds’ have been discovered in homes in Dorset and London.

Timurid manuscript folio

Unique Timurid manuscript folio estimated £2m-3m at Christie’s

16 April 2025

A folio from a rare 15th century Timurid manuscript will be offered at Christie’s in London on May 1.

Jackie Kennedy sketch

Jackie Kennedy sketch flies over estimate at Bonhams

16 April 2025

An original artwork by Jackie Kennedy (1929-1994) created just one month before the assassination of her husband, US President John F Kennedy, drew strong demand at a recent Bonhams sale.

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Child prodigy Mendelssohn on song in saleroom

14 April 2025

String of portraits offered by south London auction house included sketch of the 12-year-old musical prodigy

Virgil Finlay

Virgil Finlay sci-fi illustration makes 16 times estimate

02 April 2025

A pen and ink signed illustration by American pulp fiction illustrator Virgil Finlay (1914-1971) made 16 times its estimate at Gildings on March 25.

EM Forster photo

Duncan Grant’s diary sells for 14 times estimate at Gorringe's

27 March 2025

The rediscovered diary of Bloomsbury artist Duncan Grant (1885-1978) drew strong interest this week after emerging at an auction at Gorringe's in Lewes, East Sussex.

George Romney drawing

Windfall for vendor who found George Romney sketch in rubbish skip

26 March 2025

A sketch by George Romney (1734-1802) came to a recent auction in south London with a remarkable backstory.

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Mona Lisa 'taken as tourist souvenir'

24 March 2025

One of the factors that made the Mona Lisa probably the most-visited work of art in the world was that the painting was stolen from the Louvre in 1911.

Steven Spurrier drawing

Celebrated illustrator's work comes to market at London gallery

10 March 2025

The legacy of Steven Spurrier is being revived by Panter & Hall in its current exhibition

Knabe in Matrosenanzug by Egon Schiele

Restituted Egon Schiele sketch brings strong bidding at Christie’s

10 March 2025

An Egon Schiele (1890-1918) work on paper formerly owned by the Jewish cabaret performer Fritz Grünbaum was among the lots drawing competition at Christie’s latest evening sale in London.

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New London dealers join Salon du Dessin line-up

10 March 2025

March is traditionally the month for drawings and works on paper in Paris, a magnet that attracts enthusiasts from around the world to the French capital.

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Series of Wilde results for the collection of comedy legend

03 March 2025

Famed for his range of characters, Barry Humphries was also a bibliophile of great taste

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