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.
Upper row: Cross section through narthex (left), Cross section through church looking east (right) - Lower row: South elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in ink: 'Argolis Merbaka Church of the Panagia'. It is labelled in ink: 'Cross Section through Narthex', 'Cross Section through Church looking East', 'South Elevation'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan (left) - Roof plan (right). The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan (left) - Roof plan (right). The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Section looking south. The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Section looking south. The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Cross section looking east (left) - Cross section looking west (right). The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Cross section looking east (left) - Cross section looking west (right). The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
West elevation (left) - East elevation (right). The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
West elevation (left) - East elevation (right). The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Rubbing- Sculpture (part of carved relief). The drawing was found in the Perivleptos rubbings folder. It is annotated in red crayon: 'Mistras-Where I don't know'.
North elevation. The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
North elevation. The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South elevation. The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South elevation. The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Upper row: West elevation, South elevation, East elevation - Lower row: Cross section, Longitudinal section, Plan of church. The drawing is signed in pencil (W. Harvey) in the lower right-hand corner. It is entitled in pencil:'Argolis Plataniti Church of the Saviour. It is numbered in pencil (no 1) in the upper right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Close view of south window. The photograph is annotated in pancil at the back.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. The words 'Ch: of S. Andrew - Athens' are inscribed in pencil. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. This ground plan depicts the church of Hagios Andreas -the katholikon of the monastic complex- the monastic enclosure, the refectory, the cells and other monastic buildings. The words: 'Monastery Church of St Andrew' are inscribed in pencil in the top left-hand corner.
Ground plan. The plan is entitled: 'Church of S. Andrew - Athens', 'Plan to 1/4 Inch Scale'.
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of Church Andrew', 'Athens'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Clockwise from top left: East elevation, West elevation, North elevation, Longitudinal section. The item as a whole is entitled: 'Church of Saint Andrew', 'Athens'. The five drawings are captioned sequentially: 1.'East End', 2. 'West End', 3. 'North Section', 4. 'Long Section'.
Ground plan (bottom) and Transverse section (top). The church of Hagioi Apostoloi underwent four phases of construction/modification. This is the original (before restoration) ground plan of the church (Period I). A sketch depicting the plan (in pencil) of the church's dome occupies the top right-hand corner.
Ground plan. The church of Hagioi Apostoloi underwent four phases of construction/modification. This is the original (before restoration) ground plan of the church (Period I). The plan is entitled: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens', 'The Plan as Existing'. Later additions are coloured differently.
Ground plan. The church of Hagioi Apostoloi underwent four phases of construction/modification. This is the original (before restoration) ground plan of the church (Period I). The plan is entitled: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens', 'The Plan 1/4 Scale'. Further annonation in pencil survives. Later additions are coloured differently and indicated as such ('Modern Additions'). Various sketches in pencil including an unknown person's face survive on the reverse.
Ground plan. The church of Hagioi Apostoloi underwent four phases of construction/modification. This is the original (before restoration) ground plan of the church (Period I). This is a preliminary drawing ('working-plan') . It is entitled (in pencil): 'Holy Apostles Athens'.
Ground plan. The church of Hagioi Apostoloi underwent four phases of construction/modification. This is the original (before restoration) ground plan of the church (Period I). The plan is entitled: 'Church of the Holy Apostles Athens', 'Plan'. Later additions are coloured differently and indicated as such ('Modern Additions'). A note in pencil in the right-hand corner reads: 'Been Redrawn'.
Ground plan. The church of Hagioi Apostoloi underwent four phases of construction/modifications. This is the original (before restoration) ground plan of the church (Period I). The plan is entitled: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens', 'The Plan Restored'. A sketch depicting the upper part of a column survives in the bottom left-hand corner.
Ground plan. The church of Hagioi Apostoloi underwent four phases of construction/modification. This is the original (before restoration) ground plan of the church (Period I). The plan is entitled: 'Church of The Holy Apostles Athens', 'Plan Restored'. A note in pencil in the top right-hand corner reads: 'Been Redrawn'. The plan was left unfinished.
Transverse section. The section is entitled: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens', 'Transverse Section 1/4 Scale'. A caption at the bottom of the section reads: 'The Windows are now filled in'. Rough sketches of unidentified parts of the church occupy the bottom right-hand corner.
Transverse section. The section is entitled: 'Chruch of the Holy Apostles' 'Cross Section'.
North elevation. This elevation depicts in detail the five horizontal dentil courses of the church (an uppermost dentil cornice runs under the roof) as well as the ornamental brickwork of geometrical and Kufic/Kufesque designs which has been inserted in the vertical joints of the cloisonné masonry. The windows of the north side are double of the 'arcade' type. The elevation is entitled: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens', 'North Elevation 1/4 Inch Scale'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South elevation. The original walling of the Hagioi Apostoloi underwent minor repairs only on the south side. This elevation depicts in detail the five horizontal dentil courses of the church (an uppermost dentil cornice runs under the roof) as well as the ornamental brickwork of geometrical and Kufic/Kufesque designs which has been inserted in the vertical joints of the cloisonné masonry. The windows of the south side are double of the 'arcade' type. The elevation is entitled: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens', 'South Elevation 1/4 Inch Scale'.
East elevation. This elevation depicts partly the five horizontal dentil courses of the church (an uppermost dentil cornice runs under the roof) as well as mainly the ornamental brickwork of geometrical and Kufic/Kufesque designs which has been inserted in the vertical joints of the cloisonné masonry. An alpha (A) and omega (O) as well as a leaved cross with IC XC in the upper angles decorate the exterior wall of the central apse of the bema. The window of the east apse is triple of the 'arcade' type. Those of the side apses are double of the same type. The elevation is entitled: 'Church of the Holy Apostles Athens', 'East Elevation'. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
East elevation. This elevation depicts partly the five horizontal dentil courses of the church (an uppermost dentil cornice runs under the roof) as well as mainly the ornamental brickwork of geometrical and Kufic/Kufesque designs which has been inserted in the vertical joints of the cloisonné masonry. An alpha (A) and omega (O) as well as a leaved cross with IC XC in the upper angles decorate the exterior wall of the central apse of the bema. The window of the east apse is triple of the 'arcade' type. Those of the side apses are double of the same type. The elevation is entitled: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens', 'The East Elevation 1/4 Scale'. Two notes in ink survive: 'Dome modernised' next to the dome and 'Windows now filled in' delow the level of the ground floor. Further sketches in ink survive.
East elevation. This elevation offers a detailed close representation of the masonry of the east side: five horizontal dentil courses (an uppermost dentil cornice runs under the roof) as well as ornamental brickwork of geometrical and Kufic/Kufesque designs have been inserted horizontally among the courses of the bricks and in the vertical joints of the cloisonné masonry respectively. An alpha (A) and omega (O) as well as a leaved cross with IC XC in the upper angles decorate also the exterior wall of the central apse of the bema. The window of the east apse is triple of the 'arcade' type. Those of the side apses are double of the same type. The elevation is entitled in pencil: 'Church of Holy Apostles Athens'.
Ground plan. This plan is one of the earliest accurate depictions of the original Byzantine church. This is a preliminary drawing ( 'working-plan'). The words 'Asomaton' and 'Asomaton Athens' in capital letters are inscribed in the margin. The sketch of an unknown church in pencil survives on the reverse.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled (in pencil): 'Asomaton Athens'.
Ground plan (bottom) and North elevation (top). This ia a preliminary drawing. The words 'Asomatoi' and 'Athens' appear in the top left-hand and the bottom right-hand corner respectively. Measurements of ornamental decoration survive on the reverse.
Clockwise from top left: North elevation (top), Transverse section (bottom, on the right), Ground plan (bottom, on the left). This north elevation is of particular interest since it represents in its original form the north door of the narthex. The door which was arched and decorated with a double course of brickwork was walled up in a later phase. It was restored in 1960 crowned though by a single course of brickwork. The drawing is entitled (in pencil): 'Church of the Incorporeals (Asomatoi)' .
North elevation (left), Transverse section (right). This is a preliminary drawing.
Low relief marble closure slab. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. The drawing is annotated in pencil: 'Athens Museum?'. See also drawing no.BRF 01/01/01/242
Parts of relief marble closure slabs. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. See also drawings nos. BRF 01/01/01/242 and BRF 01/01/01/239
Relief marble closure slabs.Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. See also drawing no. BRF 01/01/01/242
Relief marble closure slabs. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil. See also drawing no BRF 01/01/01/241
Relief heraldic slab. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. The drawing is annotated in pencil.
Preliminary drawing of relief marble closure slabs.The slabs are decorated with crosses surrounded by rosettes, other floral and geometrical motifs and could be dated to the middle Byzantine period. The two slabs decorate the west end (north part) of the church.
Sections of marble epistyles, capitals, pilasters. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil.
Parts of relief marble closure slabs. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens This is a preliminary drawing. It is anotated in pencil. See also drawings nos. BRF 01/01/01/233 and BRF 01/01/01/242
Relief marble closure slab. Now in Byzantine Musuem Athens. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil.
Preliminary drawing of Relief marble closure slabs - Lintel with relief decoration. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawing no.BRF 01/01/01/235