In the essay the author attempts to examine the National Library of Sweden’s handling of artist’s archives. As the name suggests the National Library of Sweden has a responsibility to collect, preserve och make access available for everything that is published in Sweden. In addition to the material that the library collects, it also receives several donations that must be preserved and made accessible for the public. These donations are the most common manner for National Library to receive artist’s archives. These archives can contain unfinished pieces and sketches made of the artists that has not had a chance to been seen widely by the public. They give a unique look into how artists created their art. This essay has through examination of a selected number of artists’s archives try to conclude how these kind of archives are handled at the National Library and what happens to the art within the archive.