Contents: Chapter 1: The challenge of drawing in metalpoint Chapter 2: Ancient drawing and writing materials Chapter 3: Drawing and writing in metalpoint in the Middle Ages Chapter 4: The metalpoint in Trecento Italy Chapter 5: The meaning of the appearance of Quattrocento metalpoint drawings Chapter 6: Metalpoints for drawing and writing: late Gothic and early modern northern Europe Chapter 7: Modern metalpoint Appendix 1: Joseph Meder. Das Buchlein vom Silberstift. Vienna, 1909. Reproduction of the original German text and a translation by Susan Thorne Appendix 2: Bibliographical review of recent conservation literature on analysis and conservation of metalpoint drawings Appendix 3: Selected glossary Appendix 4: Examination conditions (tabular form) Bibliography Index.