The Collection of Prints and Drawings at the Kunsthaus is a true treasure trove, hardly known to its visitors. In 2025 we highlight a selection of remarkable works from the extensive holdings of prints. Printing is far more than simply a reproductive medium. The use of printer’s ink and the play of line and surface invariably also bring unique qualities to the fore.

Our selection comprises artists whose works literally ‘made an impression’ on generations that followed, by setting standards in the technique of printmaking: figures from Dürer to Munch and Kollwitz, and from Rembrandt and Goya to Roth. While this ‘tour d’horizon’ also covers all formats, from XS to XL, we deliberately avoid a hierarchical categorization of works according to size. The fact is that quite often, a print’s appeal only becomes evident when you zoom in on the minute details.

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Ill.: Edvard Munch, Head to Head, 1905, Kunsthaus Zürich, 1950