Much like renowned world and European libraries housing visual art collections, the Graphic Arts Collection of our Library safeguards original works of both fine and applied arts of great historical and artistic importance. Curating, researching, appraising, safeguarding and exhibiting visual materials stand as the most pivotal aspects of managing this collection, which forms an important part of the Library’s holdings.

Spanning a vast historical spectrum from the 16th century to the contemporary era, this collection is divided into various sections, housing original graphic sheets, graphic maps, illustrated posters, exhibition catalogues and museum collection catalogues. Additionally, it preserves several invaluable legacies, such as the illustrations and graphic artworks created by Ljubica Cuca Sokić and Bosiljka Kićevac, as well as cartoons, posters and advertising illustrations by Aleksandar Karakušević Klas. The recognition of the Artist’s Book as a new form of artistic expression laid the groundwork for gathering this unique type of material, which had been unjustly omitted in domestic library practices.

The Fine Arts Collection comprises over 300 paintings and sculptures by distinguished Serbian and Yugoslav artists, including notable works by Sava Šumanović, Mića Popović, Peđa Milosavljević, Milan Konjović and Petar Lubarda, among others.