Words have figured in various guises throughout the history of art, frequently appearing in liturgical contexts including illuminated manuscripts in the Middle Ages or decoratively ornamented Qu’ranic writings from the Ottoman Empire. Throughout the 20th century, artists have used texts and lettering to reference a newly prevalent culture of mass production, to blur the lines between popular culture and fine art, and to upend seemingly simple meanings. This selection of works on paper ranges from an early Cubist etching by Georges Braque to the deadpan compositions and wordplay of Jasper Johns and Bruce Nauman.