The publication of this volume by the Institut du Dessin both inaugurates a partnership with the Museo Europeo del Disegno and outlines its plans for the future, which include exhibitions, seminars, and educational projects. The focus of its program will be the science of drawing in its many forms, inquiring into its nature, tracing its origins in various cultures, and examining its connections to art, music, philosophy, and literature. This partnership will provide an ideal setting for interdisciplinary encounters and discussion, for technical reflection, and "culturally creative" practice.