The Derso and Kelen Collection consists of over 1100 lithographs, watercolors and pen and ink drawings representing the wide-ranging artistic work and political commentary of Alois Derso and Emery Kelen. The subject of their political reportage focuses on the events of inter-war Europe with a particular emphasis on international politics, the diplomatic scene, and the rise of Adolf Hitler. The many open-diplomacy conferences in the 1920s and 1930s on peace, economics, and disarmament, the assemblies of the League of Nations in its hey-day, and, after World War II, the formation of the United Nations are also frequently illustrated subjects.

While the majority of the collection consists of art works, there are also satirical newspaper articles and essays written by Kelen and Derso as well as a small amount of biographical information.

Please see series descriptions in contents list for additional information about individual series.