Graphic Arts

The graphic arts have been integral to the holdings of the Museum since its inception. In fact, they constitute the largest part of the collection, with more than 20,000 drawings, prints, posters, and artists’ books, spanning more than five hundred years.

This collection features many of the greatest European and American artists from the Renaissance to the present day. Works by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Francisco de Goya, Honoré Daumier, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec are represented in depth, with outstanding individual examples by other old masters as well as modern and contemporary artists. In addition, the Museum boasts a fine collection of nineteenth-century French prints, German Expressionist prints, American World War I posters, modern Mexican works on paper, and a comprehensive body of work by artists who have lived and worked in the Northwest. The Adams Foundation Foyer and Helen Copeland Gallery feature changing exhibitions that highlight graphic arts from the collection.

Joining an art council is the best way to explore a favorite genre, region, or period of art. As a council member, you’ll learn directly from curators, go behind the scenes of the collection, and connect with other Museum supporters who share your interests.