The Collezione Ramo was established to document the originality and importance of drawing in the 20th and 21st centuries. It is the only collection in the world focused exclusively on this expressive medium, which is deeply tied to the artistic identity of our country and essential to 20th-century art. The Collezione Ramo considers “drawing” to encompass all techniques on paper (watercolor, collage, pastel, etc.) and aims to highlight the infinite experiments artists have conducted with this medium, which is unparalleled in terms of authenticity and immediacy.

Organized according to museum standards, the Collezione Ramo is committed to presenting works on paper in the best possible way from both a conservation and aesthetic perspective. The exhibitions from the collection have raised the standard of display in terms of mounting and setup, implementing various measures such as the exclusive use of conservation-grade materials for mounting works, the abandonment of passe-partout, the rigorous use of museum glass to protect drawings from light exposure, and strict adherence to conservation parameters for paper (maintaining a temperature between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius with 50% humidity). As an additional safeguard, drawings are framed only during exhibitions and unframed afterward. The Collezione Ramo keeps its 800 works in complete darkness, stored horizontally in climate-controlled conditions with regulated temperature and humidity, and preserved in specialized conservation folders.

From a museographic perspective, the Collezione Ramo has also distinguished itself by abolishing the term “mixed media”, which hinders an accurate understanding of the materials used by an artist and their daily practice. Instead, the Collection promotes in-depth research into techniques and a precise cataloging of materials. The exhibitions are designed to allow visitors to approach the artworks at the correct height and without light reflections, to appreciate the entire margin of the sheet without concealing portions or details that reveal its history, and to benefit from chronological context and precise technical descriptions, ensuring a drawing experience that fully respects the medium and artistic practice.

To promote the culture of drawing, which is still little considered, the Collezione Ramo has presented some of its masterpieces in museums both in Italy and abroad (Chi ha paura del disegno?, Museo del Novecento, Milan, 2018; Who’s Afraid of Drawing?, Estorick Collection, London, 2019; Silent Revolutions. Italian Drawings of the 20th Century, Menil Drawing Institute, Houston, 2020). It has also published “Disegno Italiano del XX secolo”, edited by Irina Zucca Alessandrelli (Silvana Ed., Milan, 2018, available in both Italian and English), produced contemporary drawing works (Marginal Carillon by Eugenio Tibaldi with Taketo Gohara, BASE, Milan, 2022; Carta Rampante e Attrezzo Disegnante by Manuel Scano Larrazàbal, Casa degli Artisti, Milan, 2024), and created the Milano Drawing Week – a widespread exhibition of modern and contemporary drawing held in private galleries and institutional museums, in collaboration with and under the patronage of the Municipality of Milan – Department of Culture.

The activities of the Collezione Ramo, particularly Milano Drawing Week, stem from the desire to promote modern and contemporary drawing, based on the belief that works on paper are where artists’ ideas take shape most spontaneously and where past and present artistic revolutions have been and continue to be born.