Spanish drawings show humor and drama

NEW YORK - A man bends over to peer into a peep show box, revealing a tear in the seat of his pants that offers a bawdy view of his backside to a grinning woman sneaking a peek behind him.

This witty, satirical drawing by Francisco Goya is part of a new exhibition at The Frick Collection that highlights dozens of superb Spanish drawings from the early 17th to the early 19th century.

The curators of The Spanish Manner: Drawings From Ribera to Goya contend that drawings by the Spanish old masters - original, visionary and fantastic - have been overshadowed by the work of Italian and Dutch artists.