Many patrons of the arts in 19th-century America collected paintings and sculpture from England or Italy. Collectors in Baltimore looked to France for models of culture and assembled extensive collections of drawings by French masters. This is a discussion of the formation of these collections and their significance for the history of French art.

Many patrons of the arts in nineteenth-century America built collections of paintings and sculpture imported primarily from England or Italy. "The Essense of Line offers the first comprehensive discussion of the formation of these collections and their significance for the history of French Art.