Called the "Rembrandt of the South," Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, il Guercino (1591-1666) was one of the most versatile and accomplished Italian draftsmen of the seventeenth century. His drawings are among the most instantly appealing of those of any artist. This book investigates the nature of this appeal and looks at what makes Guercino such an extraordinary draftsman for his period. It examines his ways of working, choices of subject matter, drawing techniques, and media--aspects of his work that have never been studied so directly before. Such an innovative approach yields scholarly insights, as well as an accessible and appealing volume. The book accompanies an exhibition of Guercino drawings from the collections of the Courtauld Institute and the J. Paul Getty Museum, on view at both venues (Los Angeles, October 2006; London, February 2007).