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.
Elevation of pulpit. The drawing is initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil at the bottom.
Details of sculpture and architectural members. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated and annotated in pencil on both sides. The unfinished drawing of an elevation of the interior colonnade of the church survives on the reverse. It is initialed (RWS) in pencil.
Plan and elevations of the ambo and the pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled, initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil at the bottom. Further annotation in pencil survives. Unfinished sketches of the pulpit of the church survive on the reverse.
Font. The drawing is labelled, dated and initialed (R.W.S.) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Bapistery-Florence. Detail of opus sectile on the pavement. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated and labelled in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. "Oct. 3-4.88"
Elevations-Plans. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'San Lorenzo Florence. Plans etc of the Singing Gallery'. It is labelled in ink:'1/2 Plan of the upper part'., '1/2 Plan showing brackets @ soffit', 'End'. It is initialed (RWS) and dated in ink in the lower right-hand corner.
Elevation of the singing gallery. The drawing is labelled in ink:'San Lorenzo Florence. Singing Gallery. Attributed to Donatello. Inlays are of glass painted on back'. It is initialed (RWS) and dated in ink in the lower right-hand corner.
Elevation (interior). This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil.
Elevation of inlaid marble screen. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated and labelled in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Elevation (interior). This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Elevation of the pulpit.(front side). This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Side elevation of the pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing.It is labelled in pencil at the bottom.
Detail of sculpture of the pulpit. The drawing is labelled in pencil at the bottom.
Elevation of the doorway. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled, initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Elevation of tympanum. This is a preliminary drawing.
Study of nave (the roof). This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled, initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Two plans and an elevation of the pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is signed in pencil (SH Barnsley) in the lower right-hand corner. It is dated in pencil in the left-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Detail of the pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil.
Elevation (east end) next to central apse. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in pencil in the upper right-hand corner: 'San Donato Murano. Rough Sketch done on the spot for a drawing of the apse'. It is dated and annotated in pencil. An unfinished measured drawing (plan?) of an unidentified building survives on the reverse.
Detail of marble pavement. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entited and dated in the upper left-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Plan and elevation of the pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entited and dated in the upper left-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Plan (left half) - Cross section (right half). The original drawing signed G.T.S 1903 in front lower right hand corner
Elevation and plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated and measured in pencil.
Plan. The drawing is entitled and dated in ink in the upper left-hand corner: 'Cathedral S. Maria. Torcello. The pulpit. Nov. 06 1887'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Plan of the entrance from narthex. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated and measured in pencil.
Elevation of door from narthex to north transept. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives. An unidentified unfinished annotated drawing survives on the reverse.
Elevation of arched colonnade. The drawing is initialed (RWS) and dated (July 1888) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Marble revetment. This is a preliminary drawing. It is annotated in pencil.
Holy-water fountain. The drawing is initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil in the right-hand corner.
Detail of floor opus sectile in nave. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in pencil in the left-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Detail of mosaic in narthex. The drawing is signed (S.H. Barnsley) and dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Detail of mosaic now at the British Museum. The drawing is annotated in pencil.
Detail of mosaic on arch at Baptistery. The drawing is initialed (RWS) and dated in pencil in the right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Detail of mosaic in the dome of Baptistery. The drawing is initialed (SHB)) and dated in pencil in the right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Plan of pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in ink in the middle. Further annotation in ink survives.
Plan of upper pulpit. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in ink in the middle. Further annotation in ink survives.
Front elevation of the pulpit. The drawing is dated in pencil in the upper left-hand corner.
Side elevation of the pulpit. The drawing is dated in pencil in the upper left-hand corner. It is initialed (SHB) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Detail of marble revetment in pulpit. The drawing is dated in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is dated in pencil in the lower left-hand corner.
Racing quadrigae (marble relief). This is a preliminary drawing.
Archivolt of ciborium in relief - Two capitals.
Plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in pencil:'Bal Mum Khane Blachernae Constantinople'.
Sections - Elevations (Internal). This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in pencil: 'Bal Mum Khane Blachernae Constantinople'.
Sketch (left bottom) and watercolour (right upper corner) of the churches. The drawing is labelled in pencil: 'The Monastery of the Pantokrator and Water Aqueduck, Constantinople'. Created by George, W. S.?
Marble revetment (wall leading to narthex). The drawing is entitled in pencil: 'Church of the Chora Constantinople - Detail of Marble Wall Lining to Narthex'. It is initialed (RWS) and dated in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Plan. The drawing is a photographic copy of a printed original. It is entitled in pencil: 'The Mone tes Choras Constantinople - Restored Plan'. It is annotated in pencil.
Marble revetment (narthex). The drawing is labelled and dated in pencil in the lower left-hand corner.