Plakatsammlung SfG Basel

[Massimo Vignelli, 1964, «32B, XXXII Biennale Internazionale d’Arte, Venezia», offset, 97.5 × 68 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:80599] #massimovignelli #biennaledivenezia1964 #trompelœil #plakatsammlungbasel #schmalfettegrotesk

May Day poster by the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions, 1993. Designed by Stephan Bundi. Text in the four national languages, including Romansh, which is spoken by 40,000–60,000 people in Switzerland. --- [Stephan Bundi, 1993, «1. Mai – Gegensteuer», screen printing, 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:30621] #mayday #stefanbundi #baselpostercollection #erstermai #romansh #rumantschgrischun #sgb_gewerkschaftsbund

Two posters for the Geneva-based Laboratoires Ed. Mottier. Little is known about the Basel artist and graphic designer XAM alias Max Fendt (1908–1983). The internal documentation of the poster collection includes some notes from a conversation that its former director, Rolf Thalmann, had with Fendt’s widow, Elsa Fendt-Buser (1923–2003), in January 1985. Fendt apparently did not complete a formal apprenticeship, but as a decorator at the Zum Wilden Mann department store (later SCHILD) at Freie Strasse 35, he created highly acclaimed window displays and also made a name for himself with exhibition booths for the MUBA. After a stint as head decorator for Modewoche Zürich, Fendt went into business for himself as a graphic designer and, among other projects, designed the catalogs for the Beyeler Gallery for 25 years. [XAM (Max Fendt), 1952, «Luminor / Colle Elephant», letterpress (linocut), 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:35860 / 35861] #baslergeschichte #catcontent #maxfendt #blaurot #letterpressposter

An early poster by Karl Gerstner (1930–2017). Election campaign material for the Liberal Party of Basel from 1956. The goal was not only to win the election but also to give this party from the center-right conservative spectrum a fresh image. In addition to the photographic imagery and bold color, Gerstner’s hand-drawn lettering is particularly noteworthy; it is characterized by precision on the one hand, and dynamic and extravagant forms on the other. --- On Thursday, April 16, at 6:30 p.m., Jonas Deuter will give a talk at the Bibliothek für Gestaltung Basel about his dissertation on the commercial and artistic work of Karl Gerstner. Deuter’s presentation will be followed by a discussion with Muriel Gerstner and Max Pietro Hoffmann. «Karl Gerstner: Der Traum vom Absoluten» Thursday, April 16, 6:30 p.m. Bibliothek für Gestaltung Basel Freilager-Platz 2 4142 Münchenstein (Event in German) --- [Karl Gerstner, 1956, «Auch Du bist liberal» (You, Too, Are Liberal), offset, 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:30213] #karlgerstner #plakatsammlungbasel #baslergeschichte #geigystyle #baseltype @jonas_deuter @bfg_basel @ldp_bs

Basel Fasnacht meets Basel School of Design Everyone in Basel knows that the local carnival, the world-famous ‹Basel Fasnacht› is not only a joyful and exuberant event, but also a very serious affair. Alongside the anarchic elements, there are strict rules. This also applies to the musical side of Fasnacht, which – alongside the typical piccolo flute – is dominated by the traditional Basel drum. The poster shown here combines a detailed image of a drum* with the stern statement «Those who cannot play the drums are harming Fasnacht». It was published in 1969 by the ‹Alti Richtig› clique (carnival association), which has been strongly committed to promoting drumming culture since its foundation in 1926. At the 1969 carnival, the group ironically presented themselves as the ‹Fasnacht Protection Troop› and promoted ‹spiritual Fasnacht defence›. The poster was designed by the painter and graphic artist Werner Ritter, who died in 2025. From 1948 to 1953 Ritter had attended the graphic design and painting classes at the Basel ‹Gewerbeschule›. After spending extended periods in Munich and Paris, he worked as a freelance graphic designer and teacher in Basel, also establishing himself as a visual artist with his figurative paintings. Last but not least, Ritter was also an active carnival reveller: for 30 years, he designed lanterns for the ‹Alti Richtig›, sometimes in collaboration with his wife, graphic designer Brigitte Ritter-Kretz, and served as a drummer and drum major for the ‹Fäzzeschlugger›. --- [Werner Ritter, 1969, «Wer nicht trommeln kann, schadet der Fasnacht», screen printing, 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:16460] --- *) The image shows a ‹Strupfen› – part of the tensioning mechanism that enables uniform tension and thus precise tuning of the drum’s striking and resonance skins. #wernerritter #baselfasnacht #baslerfasnacht #baslerfasnacht1969 #baselschoolofdesign #plakatsammlungbasel #altirichtig #altirichtig1926

Save the date! Am 18. März spricht die Historikerin Monika Dommann in den Räumen der Plakatsammlung mit Blick auf das ehemalige Zollfreilager auf dem Dreispitz-Areal über eine Geschichte der Logistik, deren wahres Gesicht sich dort zeigt, wo der Materialfluss ins Stocken gerät. Eine Veranstaltung im Rahmen der @baslergeschichtstage . Mittwoch 18. März 2026, 18:00–19:15 Plakatsammlung SfG Basel Dreispitz-Areal Freilager-Platz 6 4142 Münchenstein --- [Hans Erni, 1942, «Rasch beladen – rasch entladen – voll beladen – SBB CFF», Lithografie, 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:41870] #hanserni #BaslerGeschichtstage2026 #materialfluss #plakatsammlungbasel #dreispitzbasel #historyoflogistics

Same procedure as every year: January 1 marks Public Domain Day—the day when copyrighted works enter the public domain. Seventy years after a person’s death, the copyright on their works expires at the end of the year. The Basel Poster Collection subsequently provides high-resolution digital copies of the newly public domain posters for free use via Wikimedia Commons. This year, these include the posters shown here by Johann Arnhold (1891–1955) for a Zurich-based brewery from 1930 and 1925, respectively. #publicdomainday2026 #wikimediacommons #johannarnhold #plakatsammlungbasel #hürlimann sternbräu

❄ Happy Holidays ❄ --- [Roger-Virgile Geiser (1923–1994), 1969, «Exposition vente de Noël des artistes vaudois – Musée Historique de l’Ancien Evêché», screen printing, 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:2397] #rogervirgilegeiser #rogergeiser #expodenoel #expodenoël #❄ #plakatsammlungbasel #museehistoriquelausanne

This 1964 work by Basel-based graphic designer Donald Brun for Swiss shoe manufacturer Bally, is part of a trio of posters that were displayed both individually and together as a wide-format «panorama poster» (today this format is known in Switzerland as F12). The fact that all three posters were designed to work on their own was part of the brief and was due to the still very limited number of triple poster sites at the time. These had only been introduced by the «Allgemeine Plakatgesellschaft» (APG) the year before. Brun’s design was printed using offset printing with eight colors. Both hand lithography and photolithography were used: hand lithography for large areas in specific colors, photolithography for the precise reproduction of the painting technique used by the designer, among other things. The renowned Trüb printing company in Aarau was responsible for the implementation. The challenges involved are discussed in a brochure published for the company’s clients. Alongside other Bally posters from the 1960s and 70s this offset extravaganza will be on display from next week in the «Bibliothek für Gestaltung» in Basel/Münchenstein. --- [Donald Brun, 1964, «Bally (middle part)», offset, 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:26171] [Paul Rothenhäusler (text) / Peter Trüb (photos): «Rund um ein Panorama-Plakat», Aarau: A. Trüb & Cie. AG, 1964] #donaldbrun #trübaarau #plakatsammlungbasel #bally

No poster this time: Back of the specimen for the typeface «Graphique», designed by Hermann Eidenbenz and cast by the Haas Type Foundry in Münchenstein in 1942. [Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, NL Hermann Eidenbenz, CH-000957-X-AN-5-C-6] #haasscheschriftgiesserei #hermanneidenbenz #plakatsammlungbasel #typefacespecimen #haastypefoundry #graphicdesignarchive #typography #foundrytype #typedesign

We congratulate Beat Müller and Wendelin Hess, founders of the graphic design studio «Müller+Hess» and the publishing house «Echtzeit», who yesterday received the 2025 Basel Culture Prize for their commitment to graphic design and book culture. --- [Müller+Hess, 1999, «Richard Paul Lohse – Konstruktive Gebrauchsgrafik – Museum für Gestaltung Zürich», screen printing, 128 × 90.5 cm, Plakatsammlung SfG Basel, CH-000957-X:41138 / 41137 / 39740] @mueller_hess @echtzeit.ch @kulturbasel

Exhibition «PLAKATSZENE LUZERN» (Lucerne Poster Scene) October 17 to November 1 Exhibition space SfG Basel, Freilager-Platz 5, Münchenstein Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday, 1–5 p.m., free admission Over the past 20 years, Lucerne has earned a reputation as a true poster town. The quality, diversity, and freshness of Lucerne’s posters have been repeatedly recognized at festivals, competitions, and in publications. The exhibition focuses on works by graphic designers associated with the venues Treibhaus, Südpol, and Neubad, as well as the Weltformat Festival, which has been taking place in Lucerne since 2009. As platforms, these venues promoted networking and contributed significantly to the emergence of a graphic design and poster scene characterized by a culture of cooperation and creative exchange. An exhibition of the Basel Poster Collection With posters by: @amadeus.waltenspuehl , @anniktroxler , @barbaragalizia , @yannickgauch , @c2fdesign , @carlacrameri , @erichbrechbuhl , @studiofeixen , @gina_burri_ , @isabellemauchle , @itsrainingelephants , @johnson__kingston , @leonie_felber , @linerime_ , @megizumstein , @paulatroxler , @klausfromherz , @samsteiner.ch , @studiolametta , @veramattmann , and others. Curation: @rhea.rieben Scenography: @nela__weber , @pia______h Exhibition graphics: @tristesse2000 Further events in connection with the exhibition Opening Thursday, October 16, 6:15 p.m. Guided tours with the curator Thursday, October 23 and October 30, 4:00 p.m. Concert: AORRTA – modular. analog. @aorrtagram Thursday, October 23, 6:15 p.m. Free admission --- [Erich Brechbühl / Isabelle Mauchle / Felix Pfäffli, 2025, «Plakatszene Luzern», screen printing, 128 × 89.5 cm]