Art: Masterful Drawings

Though separated by more than the chasm of centuries, avant-garde action painting and old-master drawing share one compelling attraction: the you-are-there appeal of looking over the artist's shoulder while his hand and mind work at top speed. Last week Manhattan got a chance to study the techniques of the masters courtesy of the Italian government, which, to celebrate its centennial of unification, is sponsoring a collection of 154 master drawings by Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and 82 other Italians. The drawings have already attracted throngs in Washington, Boston and Chicago, and are on final display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art...

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