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.
Proskynitarion. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery Of St Luke Of Stiris Phocis', 'A Detail Of Picture Frames On Piers Dividing Iconostasis Of Small Church'.
Sculpture (capitals, slabs). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Details of the scupture of the iconostasis. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery Of St luke Of Stiris Phocis', 'Details Of Iconostasis Of Small Church'.
Katholikon, crypt - Details of the iconostasis. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Section of lintel of the iconostasis. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Portions of the iconostasis. The drawing is enititled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Portions of the Iconostasis of Great Church'.
Details of the sculpture of the iconostasis. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Details of the sculpture of the iconostasis. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Details of Iconostasis of Great Church'.
The font. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Carved lintels. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery Of St Luke Of Stiris Phocis', 'Carved Lintels Now Built Into Various Walls'.
Narthex - Floor opus sectile. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan with floor opus sectile. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Narthex - Floor opus sectile. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery Of St Luke Of Stiris Phocis', 'Plan Of Pavement in Narthex Of Small Church'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Floor opus sectile (detail). The drawing is labelled: 'S Lukes Panagia NE Slab in Pavement'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Bema - Floor opus sectile (detail). Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.
Floor opus sectile.
South transept - Floor opus sectile (detail). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South transept - Floor opus sectile (detail).
South transept - Floor opus sectile (detail). This is a preliminary Drawing.
Bema - Floor opus sectile (detail). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Narthex, Mosaic cross in central vault. Further annotation in ink survives.
Longitudinal section with iconography. The drawing is entitled in ink:'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis Greece', 'Longitudinal Section through Narthex of Great Church & Gallery over Same looking East'. A sketch of the upper part of a lognitudinal section survives on the reverse.
North transept (west wall) - Mosaic of Hossios Loukas.
Narthex (east wall) - Detail of the scene of the Anastasis (Head of Prophet-King Solomon). Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon (west wall) - Marble revetment and mosaics. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South wall - Marble revetment. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South wall - Marble revetment. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Mosaics in recesses. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Mosaics in recesses. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Mosaic of arch to prothesis (Detail: head of Cyril of Alexandria). Further annotation in pencil survives.
Mosaic in recess (Detail: head of Hagios Gregorios -St Gregory- the Wonder-worker).
Soffit of great arch supporting the dome - Mosaic (Hagios Merkourios). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Soffit of great arch supporting the dome - Mosaic (Hagios Merkourios).
Soffit of great arch supporting the dome - Mosaic (Archangel Michael).
Soffits of great arch supporting the dome - Mosaics (Archangel Gabriel, Hagios Theodoros Thron).
Katholikon, Dome - Details of the fresco decoration. This is a preliminary Drawing.
Arch to prothesis - Mosaics (Church Fathers). This is a preliminary Drawing.
Arch to diakonikon - Mosaics (Church Fathers).
Walls of diakonikon - Mosaics (Prophet Daniel, The Three Children). Further annotation in pencil survives.
Dome of the bema - The Pentecost. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Dome of the bema - The Pentecost. The drawing is labelled in pencil: 'Dome over Bema in Church of St luke of Stiris, Greece'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Bema apse - Enthroned Virgin. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Brass candlesticks. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Silver lamps. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Brass censer (top), Cense burner (bottom). Further annotation in pencil survives.
Sacramental vessels. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Measurments of pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil.
Elevation and plan of the pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated and dated in pencil at the lower right-hand corner.
Detail of marble revetment. The drawing is initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Details of mosaic ceilings. The drawing is annotated in ink.