Collection

The Cartoonmuseum Basel's collection comprises almost 10’000 original works and around 2000 works on loan. Together, they constitute a representative and high-ranking selection of drawings, cartoons and caricatures drawn in various styles and techniques. The collection includes works by 700 artists from the 20th and 21st centuries and from almost 40 countries. Among them are famous artists such as Jean-Maurice Bosc, Claire Bretécher, Paul Flora, George Grosz, Olaf Gulbransson, Heinrich Kley, Loriot, H.G. Rauch, Ronald Searle, Jean-Jacques Sempé, Erich Sokol, Saul Steinberg, or Tomi Ungerer, among others. The collection contains cartoons with or without words, parodies and pastiches of works of art and artists, caricatures, satirical comments on social and political issues, cultural events and everyday life. All works in the collection are digitalised and indexed according to scientific criteria.  


The collection is expanded, whenever an opportunity arises, usually in cooperation with the artists featured in the museum’s exhibitions. We only buy original narrative drawings and caricatures that make a critical comment on social issues and that match the high artistic standards of the museum. The museum considers established artists of national and international renown as well as promising young talent.

Andreas Gefe “Der ungläubige Thomas” 2009

Library

A special library open to the public and installed in a wonderful historical room provides interested parties with information on all aspects of satirical art and related areas. The library contains standard works and secondary literature on the caricature, the cartoon and the comic, monographs of individual draughtsmen and women, and exhibition catalogues and magazines. The stocks are being constantly updated and facilitate research with appropriate background information. After visiting an exhibition, those thirsty for knowledge can delve further into a particular theme, while lovers of experiment can make new discoveries among the many and varied publications available for their perusal.

The library is accessible during the museum’s opening hours.