Karol Ferster (pseudonym “Charlie”)
May 17, 1902, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska – July 7, 1986, Warsaw
Cartoonist, Caricaturist, Satirist, Illustrator
Karol Ferster, better known under the pseudonym “Charlie”, was one of the most distinctive Polish creators of satirical drawing in the 20th century. Born in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, he spent most of his professional life in Warsaw, where for decades he shaped the tradition of Polish press caricature and humorous illustration.
From 1920 to 1926, he studied at the Faculty of Painting and Graphics at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, studying painting under Prof. Wojciech Weiss and graphic arts under Prof. Jan Wojnarski. Simultaneously, from 1920 to 1924, he also studied law at the Jagiellonian University.
In 1928, he spent six months studying graphic art in Berlin. He was a member of the Kraków-based artist collective “Zwornik” (Association of Fine Artists). That same year, he began collaborating as a cartoonist and caricaturist with the daily newspaper Ilustrowany Kuryer Codzienny, the weekly Kurier Literacko-Naukowy, and the satirical magazine Wróble na Dachu. Over the years, he illustrated numerous books and contributed to many other publications, including Szarża, Cyrulik Warszawski, and Mucha.
His drawing style was distinctive and economical, while his humor was sharp, often commenting on the absurdities of daily life and social change. His work was marked by subtle irony, a humanistic outlook, and a refined graphic sensibility.
After World War II, Ferster continued his work as a satirist and illustrator, contributing to magazines such as Szpilki, Przekrój, as well as foreign periodicals. His works were published in Paris, Budapest, Berlin, and Moscow. He also participated in numerous international exhibitions, representing the Polish school of caricature.
Charlie’s work served not only as a commentary on reality but also as a visual chronicle of the times—a record of the mental and social transformations of 20th-century Poland. His drawings remain a priceless historical testimony, offering an ironic yet warm view of humanity in the face of systems, fashion, politics, and everyday absurdity.
He passed away in 1986 in Warsaw. His archive, comprising thousands of drawings, is now held in the collections of the National Library of Poland and the Eryk Lipiński Museum of Caricature, donated by his wife.
Drawings by Charlie, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, 1957
Humor Without Borders, Polish Cultural Institute, Paris, 1966
Karol Ferster – Satirist of the 20th Century, BWA Kraków, 1978
Charlie. Illustrator of the Turning Point, Museum of Caricature, Warsaw, 1992
Laughter in the Shadow of History – Ferster and His Era, Museum of Contemporary Art, Wrocław, 2002
Karol Ferster – Selected Drawings, Zachęta National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, 2022
Gold Cross of Merit (1974)
Award of the Minister of Culture and Art for achievements in press graphic arts (1979)
Posthumously: Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis (2006)
