PORTLAND — The Portland Museum of Art will exhibit drawings by the finest European draughtsmen of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries that are rarely on view because of the fragile nature of paper.

The exhibition, opening Saturday, March 26, will highlight the work of French artists such as Jean François Millet and Honore Daumier; British masters such as architectural draughtsman Samuel Prout; and German Expressionists including George Grosz.

From portraits and figure studies to landscapes and architectural studies, the exhibition will showcase a spectrum of styles, ranging from an 18th-century caricature to elegant architectural designs. 

“European Drawings at the Portland Museum of Art,” a  show of 30 works on view through May 22, will also demonstrate how drawings were used for many different purposes.

The exhibition is part of “Where to Draw the Line: The Maine Drawing Project,” a statewide collaboration of 20 arts organizations that will present exhibitions dedicated to the medium of drawing throughout 2011.

The museum at Seven Congress Square is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students with ID, $4 for youths ages 6-17 and free for children under 6. Admission is free from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday.