About the BRF Collection
The Byzantine Research Fund Archive (BRF) is a unique collection of architectural drawings, photographs and notebooks created from the late 19th century to the middle of the 20th century by a small team of British architects trained in the Arts & Crafts tradition whose studies of Byzantium shaped the Byzantine Revival in later years.
The collection contains over 1,500 drawings and 1,000 photographs, numerous notebooks and the corporate records associated with the Byzantine Research and Publication Fund, the original body created in 1907 to support this work. Although the Fund was associated with the BSA from the time it was founded, it was not until 1937 that the BSA formerly took over the property and operation of it. The BRF Archive contains records of Byzantine monuments in Greece, Turkey, Italy, the Near East, Egypt, and Cyprus. In some cases, the collection contains the only record of a monument before its destruction in modern times, the most important example being the church of Hagios Demetrios in Thessalonike which was almost completely destroyed in the Great Fire of 1917 shortly after being recorded by one of the BRF architects, Walter Sykes George. It also contains personal records of the following architects; Robert Weir Schultz, Sidney Howard Barnsley, Walter Sykes George, William Harvey, Harold Swainson, Peter Gus Corbett, and A.H.S (Peter) Megaw. The aspirations of the BRF Archive Project today are to make these materials accessible to a wide range of researchers.
Gallery plan. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Mistras Pantanassa - Plan of Galleries'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Plan of chapels. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in pencl: 'Pantanassa - Chapels Under Loggia'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Section of the part of the church under loggia. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil.
Longitudinal section. The drawing is entitled in ink and pencil: 'Mistras - Pantanassa'. It is labelled in ink: 'Longitudinal Section'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Parts of the sculpture decoration of the bema. The drawing is entitled in pencil: 'Mistras - Church of St Demetrius'. It is labelled in ink. Further annotation in pencil survives. The drawing was exhibited in the 1936 Royal Academy exhibition as panel 490 in catalogue
Isometric section. The drawing is labelled in pencil: 'Mistras - Church of the Vrontochion (Efentiko), Isometric View'. It is numbered (no 7) in the upper right-hand corner. A cancelled unfinished ground plan of the church survives on the reverse.This was used in the 1936 Exhibition at the Royal Academy as panel 481 in the catalogue
Upper part: South elevation - Lower part: North elevation. The drawing is labelled in ink: 'South Elevation' and 'North Elevation'. It is entitled in pencil: 'Mistras - Church of the Vrontochion (Efentiko)'. Further annotation in pencil survives. The drawing was exhibited at the 1936 Royal Academy exhibition as panels 482 and 483 in the catalogue
Transverse section looking east with iconography. This is a preliminary drawing. I This drawing was part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy and was panel 508 in the catalogue
Transverse section. The Drawing is entitled in ink:' Church of S. Paraskevi, Thessalonica' - No 2. It is labelled: 'Longitudinal Section Looking South'. W.S. George also worked on these drawings (1907-1909). This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 556 in the catalogue
Transverse section. The Drawing is entitled in ink:' Church of S. Paraskevi, Thessalonica' - No 4. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Looking East'. W.S. George also worked on these drawings (1907-1909). This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 557 in the catalogue
North elevation. The Drawing is entitled in ink:' Church of S. Paraskevi, Thessalonica' - No 6. It is labelled: 'North Elevation'. Further annotation in ink survives. W.S. George also worked on these drawings (1907-1909). This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy asl 558 in the catalogue
Transverse section looking south-east (top) - Transverse section looking north-west (bottom) with parts of the walling. A sketch of the longitudinal section of the church surives on the reverse. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled: 'Church of S. Sophia Thessalonica' No.5. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Through Narthex Looking South-East' and 'Cross Section Through Narthex Looking North-West'. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.On the reverse: A cancelled Section of the Church. This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 528 in the catalogue
Longitudinal section with iconography. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South-east elevation. The drawing is entitled:'Church of Saint George Thessalonica' No4. It is labelled:'South-East Elevation'. This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 524 in the catalogue
Longitudinal section. The drawing is entitled:'Church of Saint George Thessalonica' No3. It is labelled:'Longitudinal Section'. Further annotation in ink survives. This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 523 in the catalogue
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of Saint George Thessalonica' No1. It is labelled: 'A Plan of the Church'. This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 521 in the catalogue
Head of Hagios Demetrios. The drawing is numbered: 'No 8'. It is dated (Sept. 1. 1909) and signed (W.S. George) in pencil on the reverse. Further annotation in pencil survives. This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 542 in the catalogue
East elevation. The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. It is dated and initialed in pencil W.S.G. in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawing no 01/08/04/08/02 (BRF no 01/01/06/262). The drawing has been framed for the 1985 exhibition. This drawing was possibly part of the 1936 Exbhitiion at the Royal Academy as panel 538 in the catalogue
East elevation. The drawing is entitled:'Church of S. Demetrius Thessalonica' No11. It is labelled:'East Elevation'. Further annotation in ink survives. See also drawing no 01/01/06/279.
Series of columns in the north transept. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph. Duplicate (enlargement) copy exists catalogued as: old archive no. 02/07/14/04 (neg. no H.S. 2378) which has now been deleted.
South-east view. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2813). It is signed (A.J.B. Wace) and annotated in pencil at the back.
East end. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2814). It is signed (A.J.B. Wace) and annotated in pencil at the back.
North-west view. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2815). It is signed (A.J.B. Wace) and annotated in pencil at the back.
North-west view. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2816). It is signed (A.J.B. Wace) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Detail of door decoration. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2826). It is initialed (A.J.B.Wace) and annotated in pencil at the back.
House door with coats of arms and sculture decoration. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2827). It is initialed (A.J.B.Wace) and annotated in pencil at the back.
General view. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2857). It is annotated in pencil at the back.
View of the templon. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2861). It is initialed (A.J.B.W) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Coat of arms inserted in wall of house. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2862). It is initialed (A.J.B.W) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Citadel gate. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Distant view from town below. Annotation in pencil on back of photo Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2877)
View from the west. The photograph is annotated in ink at the back. Creator unknown.
View from the south. The photograph is annotated in ink at the back. Creator unknown.
View in castle. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is signed (W. Connal) and numbered (H.S. 7160) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives. J. Penoyre appears to be the donor of the photograph.
Interior view of the north aisle looking east. The photograph was made for the Hellenic Society. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back. Creator unknown.
Funerary monument of Louka Spantouni. The photograph was made for the Hellenic Society. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back. Creator unknown.
Series of columns in the north transept. It is not certain whether George took the photo or he acquired it from someone else. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph. Hellenic Society negative # 7677 has been noted on the back. See also photo no. 02/08/03/01 (BRF no. 02/01/07/196).
Dome mosaics (close view of the saints). The mosaic decoration in the dome is dated to the late 9th c. The photograph is initialed in ink 'W.S.George' in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Dome mosaics (close view of the saints). The mosaic decoration in the dome is dated to the late 9th c. The photograph is initialed in ink 'W.S.George' in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Dome mosaics (close view of the saints). The mosaic decoration in the dome is dated to the late 9th c. The photograph is signed in ink and pencil 'W.S.George' in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View of the basilica and of the small nearby chapel. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2840). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
The west end from the north. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2841). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Slab and antefix. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2844). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Carved slab fragments from the apse. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2845). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Carved slab from the apse. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2846). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Window-jambs, various architectural members. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2847). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Column capitals from west end. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2848). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
The templon (closer view). This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2876). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
Series of columns in the north transept. The photograph has the following annotations in pencil on the back: 'W.S.G.' and ' 'HS 7677' (the negative number of the Hellenic Society collection).
Capital of the north-west or the south-east pillar. Further annotation in pencil survives.