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.
Cross section. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. Sketches of unidentified architectural members survive on the reverse.
Part of cross section. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Cross section with iconography. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis - Cross Section Looking East Through Great Church and Crypt and Exo-Narthex of Small Church'.
South elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. An unfinished sketch (part of a window) survives at the back.
Dome window (detail) (left half of the drawing), South elevation (right half of the drawing). The drawing is entitled in ink: 'A Detail of Dome of Small Church' and 'South Elevation of Small Church'.
Bricks with pseudo-Kufic ornaments. The drawing is entitled in ink:' Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis' It is labelled in ink:'Details of Brick Ornamentation on External Walls of Small Church'.
West elevation of the two churches (north part). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. A sketch of the same part of the church survives at the back.
West elevation. This is a preliminary drawing.
West elevation. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Monastery of St. Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'West Elevation of the Two Churches'.
East elevation. The drawing is entitled in ink:'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'East Elevation of the Two Churches'.
South elevation. The drawing is entitled in ink:'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'South Elevation of the Great Church'.
North elevation (detail) - Three-light window. This is a preliminary drawing.
Plan of the crypt. This is a preliminary drawing.
Plan of the crypt. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Plan of Crypt under Great Church'.
Crypt - Longitudinal section with iconography. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Crypt - Detail of the arches. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Capitals and columns of the iconostasis of the crypt. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in ink: 'Detail of Iconostasis of Crypt'. Further annotation in pencil survives. On the reverse: A cancelled drawing of Hagios Merkourios in ink.
Crypt - Inlay ornament on top of tomb slab. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in ink survives.
Crypt - Inlay ornament on top of tomb slab. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Crypt - Inlay ornament on top of tomb slab. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Upper row: Ground plan of the refectory and present buildings. Lower row: Elevation of the north wall (left) - Capitals of columns in windows (right). This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled in ink: 'Plan Showing Original Refectory and Present Buildings', 'Elevation of North Wall' and 'Capitals of Columns in Windows'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Capital of the north-west or south-east pillar. The drawing is labelled: 'S. Luke. N Side Capital'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Capital of the south-west or the north-east pillar. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Capital of the north-west or the south-east pillar. The drawing is labelled: 'S. Luke. S Side Capital'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Capital. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Capitals of pillars of double windows (upper row), Capitals of shafts of triple arcades (lower row). The drawing is labelled: 'Capitals of Pillars of Double Windows' (upper row), 'Capitals of Shafts of Triple Arcades in Interior of Great Church' (lower row).
Capitals of pillars of windows (upper row), Katholikon - Capitals of triple arcades (middle row), Panagia church - Capital and base of window (lower row left), Katholikon - Capital and shaft of arcade (lower row right). The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis' - 'Details of Capitals'. It is labelled as follows: 'Capitals of Pillars of Double Windows' (upper row), 'Capitals of Shafts of Triple Arcades in Interior of Great Church' (middle row), 'Capital and Base of mullion in Window of Central Apse of Small Church' (lower row left) and 'Capital of Shaft of Arcade in Interior of Great Church' (lower row right).
Capitals, bases, brackets and cobles. The drawing is labelled as follows: 'Detached Capital', 'Detached Bracket' (upper left corner), 'Corbels under Arches in Exo-Narthex Small Church' 'Narthex Small Church', 'Narthex Great Church' (right-hand side), 'Capitals to Pillars in Crypt' and 'Various Capitals & Bases to Window Mullions' (at the bottom of the Drawing).
Details of various curved lintels, capitals, brackets, corbels. The drawing is labelled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Details of Various Lintels, Capitals & Corbes'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Details of Kufic inserts, bands and window mullions. This is a preliminary drawing. Futher annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Details of carved courses around the apses.
Detail of band around walls at the level of the gallery. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in ink and pencil survives.
Details of doors (lintels) and of bands around walls at the level of the gallery. This is a preliminary Drawing.
Detail of band around walls at the level of the gallery. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in ink survives.
Various details of string courses, doors, marble panels, inlaid bands. The rawing is entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis'. It is labelled as follows: 'String Course Round Inside of Dome', 'Carved String Course Round Apses of Small Church', 'Detached Fragment of String Course', 'String Course Round Topof Marble Panels', 'Shelf in South Transept', 'Inlaid Band Round Walls at Level of Gallery', 'Door to Narthex Small Church', 'Dooeway Shewing Painted Decoration', 'Details of Door from Narthex into Great Church', 'Details of Various Doors' and 'Various Details of String Courses, Doors, etc.'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Doorways, lintels. The drawing is labelled: 'Doorway to North Transept' and 'West Doorway'.
Tympanum of west doorway (detail). This is a preliminary drawing in two sheets. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Tympanum of west doorway (detail). The drawing is Entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Detail of West Doorway of Great Church'.
Carved slabs in lower parts of windows. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Carved Slabs Filling in Lower Parts Of Window Openings'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Carved slabs in lower parts of windows. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Carved Slabs Filling in Lower Parts Of Window Openings'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Katholikon, galleries - Carved slabs in lower parts of windows. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Carved Slabs Filling in Lower Parts Of Window Openings And Fronts of Galleries'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Carved slabs in lower parts of bema screen. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Detail Of Carved Slabs In Lower Part of Screen To Bema In Great Church'.
Details of slabs and fragments. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery Of St Luke Of Stiris Phocis', 'Details Of Shrine Of Various Slabs & Other Fragments'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Pierced window slab (detail). Further annotation in pencil survives.
Dome - Carved slab. This is a preliminary Drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.