This exhibition of drawings and prints by Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione aims to reinstate the seventeenth-century master as one of the greatest graphic artists of the Baroque. Much of what is known about Castiglione, born in the cosmopolitan port of Genoa, comes not from his artworks but from court papers documenting his acts of violence, possibly even murder. He was, however, arguably the most innovative and technically brilliant Italian draftsman of his time. Ninety works on paper from the British Royal Collection, which holds the finest surviving group of Castiglione’s work, will be on view. Highlights include Castiglione’s pastoral scenes, with which he built his early reputation, and his later and grander themes of mythology and religion. He produced etchings and large dynamic drawings in oil on paper and invented the monotype technique, a hybrid of printing and drawing. But despite his artistic virtuosity and innovations, Castiglione struggled to achieve recognition in his lifetime. Today, the grace and beauty of Castiglione’s work belies the darkness of his character. Through this exhibition, thanks to the generosity of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a new generation will be able to rediscover Italy’s great lost genius.

Castiglione: Lost Genius. Masterworks on Paper from the Royal Collection

The works forming this exhibition, organized by Royal Collection Trust in collaboration with the Denver Art Museum, have been loaned from the Royal Collection by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.