Fine Lines: Works on Paper from the Masterson Collection Through October 1, 2023


Rienzi, the MFAH house museum for European decorative arts, presents special exhibitions that are included with general admission. The house is closed during August every year, so “Fine Lines” is on view through July 30 and reopens September 1.

Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III, Rienzi’s founders, assembled a remarkable collection of European decorative arts. They enriched the collection with works on paper, providing the opportunity to view two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects together. Fine Lines highlights, for the first time, watercolors, drawings, prints, and books brought together by these dynamic collectors.

A work on paper offers a degree of immediacy and insight into the artist’s mind that creates an intimate encounter between the artist, work of art, and viewer. The Masterson Collection comprises works on paper from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries by English, French, and Italian artists, including drawings by Pompeo Batoni, Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Thomas Gainsborough, and George Romney.

Some of the drawings in Fine Lines are preparatory sketches for works in other media, offering an understanding of the creative process, and others were made as independent works of art. Subjects range from studies of nature, places, and the human figure to literary scenes and portraiture.

Fine Lines: Works on Paper from the Masterson Collection / March 4–July 30, 2023 / September 1–October 1, 2023


This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Location

Rienzi
1406 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77019
Map & Directions