World Drawing Day: Celebrating the 'Father of the Arts'
World Drawing Day, established in London in 1962 by the Association of Professional Graphic Designers, is celebrated annually on April 27. The day honors drawing as a fundamental form of human expression and art, predating written language. Drawing has been recognized since antiquity as 'the father of the arts,' a definition attributed to Giorgio Vasari in his 1550 work 'Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects.' Vasari's treatise describes drawing as an intellectual process that extracts universal judgment from nature, forming a concept in the mind that is then expressed manually. To mark the occasion, a selection of sketches, studies, and projects by artists such as Pollaiolo, Mantegna, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raffaello, Bernini, Borromini, and Goya is presented, along with Vasari's seminal passage on drawing.
Key facts
- World Drawing Day is on April 27.
- It was established in London in 1962 by the Association of Professional Graphic Designers.
- Drawing is considered the first form of human communication, predating the word.
- Giorgio Vasari defined drawing as 'the father of the arts' in his 1550 work 'Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects.'
- Vasari's definition covers architecture, sculpture, and painting.
- The day features sketches and studies by artists including Pollaiolo, Mantegna, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raffaello, Bernini, Borromini, and Goya.
- Vasari's passage explains drawing as an intellectual concept expressed manually.
- The event is covered by Artribune.
Entities
Artists
- Giorgio Vasari
- Pollaiolo
- Mantegna
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Michelangelo
- Raffaello
- Bernini
- Borromini
- Francisco Goya
Institutions
- Association of Professional Graphic Designers
- Artribune
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom