Rediscovering Wilhelm Busch: picture agency presents exclusive collection of illustrations

Berlin, October 28, 2025 - The picture agency Quagga Illustrations is showcasing a special highlight from its archives: original illustrations and manuscripts by Wilhelm Busch, the pioneering German illustrator, satirist, and forerunner of the modern comic strip.

Outstanding Drawings

Wilhelm Busch was a master draftsman who set new standards in combining image and text--earning him the title "father of the German comic strip."
The collection features humorous picture stories and finely executed sketches representing all phases of Busch's creative career--from his early works of the 1850s to the powerful, almost expressionist landscapes of the 1890s. His dynamic linework, sharp character portrayals, and innovative narrative techniques continue to shape the tradition of German illustration to this day.

The full collection can be explored on the agency's website:
https://www.quagga-illustrations.de/kollektionen/wilhelm-busch-exklusive-illustrationen/

Wicked Satire and Subtle Sarcasm

Busch's work is not only an artistic milestone but also a bold social commentary. With his razor-sharp wit and biting irony, he holds up a mirror to human nature--exposing vanity, folly, and weakness with equal parts humor and compassion.
From the mischievous escapades of Max and Moritz to the moral hypocrisy of Die fromme Helene, or the biting humor of Adelens Spaziergang, Busch combines playful exaggeration with keen social critique. His characters remain timelessly human, their comedy as relevant today as it was over a century ago.

Licensing and Applications

The Wilhelm Busch Collection is now available for licensing for editorial, cultural, and educational purposes. The digitized works offer a unique insight into the artistic and moral landscape of the 19th century and are ideal for museums, publishers, educational institutions, and media productions.

Contact for inquiries and sample materials:

About Quagga Illustrations
Quagga Illustrations (www.quagga-illustrations.de) has been a leading image source for high-quality historical illustrations since 2010. With an extensive stock of motifs from nature, culture, and history, the agency supports creatives worldwide in the visual realization of their ideas.

Press contact

For image requests, viewing material, and further information, please contact:

Isabel Meraner

Press Officer Quagga Illustrations

presse@quagga-illustrations.de

https://www.quagga-illustrations.de

QUAGGA Media UG (haftungsbeschr?nkt)
Sommerfieldring 27
14109 Berlin
Germany

https://www.quagga-illustrations.de

Frau Isabel Meraner
0039 331 4074014
030 / 788 9 777 4
presse@quagga-illustrations.de

Quagga Illustrations is part of the company Quagga Media UG (haftungsbeschr?nkt). Quagga Media was founded in Berlin in 2010. In the first few years, we focused on building an image database of historical drawings/illustrations. This database currently consists of around 150,000 drawings/illustrations and covers all areas of Central European natural and cultural history. A number of by-products have been created or are still under construction, in particular databases (anniversaries, botanical and zoological names, personalities, thesauri). Since 2010, we have also been involved in the creation of digital and analog products (ebooks, apps). We have also accumulated IT expertise in the creation, digitization and use of digital collections and pass this knowledge on.

This release was published on openPR.