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Visual treasures

The Prints and Drawings Department holds remarkable visual objects of many kinds: historical and contemporary prints, drawings and photographs, posters, images of historic monuments and works of art. In “Visual treasures”, members of staff from the Department present some striking discoveries and invite you to explore rarely seen or hitherto unknown marvels.

Kriegsende Teaser

Can the war be drawn to a close?

During the Second World War, Alexander M. Kaiser illustrated pamphlets designed to convince the German people of the senselessness of war.
Collage 1974

I’m not an angel by profession

‘Feminist collages’ from 1974 give us an insight into perceptions of women at the time.
Regenbogen

Printing a rainbow

An innovative printing method makes colour come alive in the works of master screen printer Lorenz Boegli. Like on a display screen, red, green and blue are mixed to produce all the other colours.
Ausschnitt Selina Trepp

The power of colour: two female portraits in dialogue

Two prints created around 200 years apart show how colour helps make works unique – from Selina Trepp’s modern woodcuts to coloured images of traditional dress from the 19th century.
Fischer Palezieux Ausschnitt

An architectural treasure chest: the work of Henry B. von Fischer

Henry B. von Fischer breathed new life into Baroque architecture in Bern at the turn of the 20th century. He left his mark on the capital city with impressive villas and urban planning ideas.
Gonthier Arene

An artist joins the circus

Join Marc Gonthier as he ventures into the exciting world of the circus. The NL takes a closer look at the work of this nearly forgotten Vaudois artist.
Wehrli Gletscherspalte

Capturing the magnificence of “abominable ice mountains”

The Wehrli brothers defined Swiss Alpine photography at the turn of the 20th century, revealing the beauty of the High Alps and the courage of mountain climbers to the general public.
Ovomaltine

Blast from the past – early 20th century advertisements from Wander

Sixty vintage advertising panels from Dr. Wander AG, housed in the National Library’s Prints and Drawings Department, give us a glimpse into marketing messages from a bygone era.
Massgeschneidert

Wood – medium and motif in the work of Emil Zbinden

Throughout his career, the artist Emil Zbinden produced woodcuts and wood engravings. His works invite the onlooker to touch the wood, feel its texture, and engage with the physicality of the subject depicted.
Walty Mordschwamm

The mushrooms of Hans Walty: a feast for the eyes and the palate

Hans Walty’s mushroom illustrations inspire us to spend more time in the forest – and the kitchen. Proceed with caution, however, as not all of the mushrooms depicted are fit for human consumption!

Last modification 07.04.2025

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Swiss National Library
Prints and Drawings Department
Hallwylstrasse 15
3003 Bern
Switzerland
Phone +41 58 462 89 71
E-mail

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https://www.nb.admin.ch/content/snl/en/home/about-us/pdd/visual-treasures.html