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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.

Hagios Dionysios Areopagites [BRF/01/01/01/025], Hagios Dionysios Areopagites, 1888-1890

Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of St Dionysius Areopagite'. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Hagios Dionysios Areopagites [BRF/01/01/01/026], Hagios Dionysios Areopagites, 1888-1890

Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing entitled, St. Dionysios Areopagite-Athens. Further annotation in pencil survives including part of title in Greek.

Erechtheion [BRF/01/01/01/027], Erechtheion, 1888-1890

Ground plan. The words 'Athens, Erechtheion' are inscribed in the top right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives. This is a preliminary drawing.

Athena Parthenos (Parthenon) [BRF/01/01/01/101], Athena Parthenos (Parthenon), 1888-1890

Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Athena Parthenos (Parthenon) [BRF/01/01/01/102], Athena Parthenos (Parthenon), 1888-1890

Architrave blocks. Further annotation in pencil and ink survives.

Acropolis [BRF/01/01/01/103], Acropolis, 1888-1890

Rubbing - Fragment of lintel. This is a fragment of a lintel which was found 'outside the Acropolis'. It is decorated with foliate patterns (palmettes). Further annotation in ink and pencil survives.

Hagioi Theodoroi [BRF/01/01/01/104], Hagioi Theodoroi, 1888-1890

Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of St Theodore Athens', 'Ground Plan'. Further annotation in ink survives.

Hagioi Theodoroi [BRF/01/01/01/105], Hagioi Theodoroi, 1888-1890

Longitudinal section with interior decoration. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of St Theodore Athens', 'Longitudinal Section'. Further annotation in ink survives.

Hagioi Theodoroi [BRF/01/01/01/106], Hagioi Theodoroi, 1888-1890

Transverse section. Preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Hagioi Theodoroi [BRF/01/01/01/107], Hagioi Theodoroi, 1888-1890

North elevation. The drawing depicts the bowls which were used as tympanun ornaments throughout the monument. Unfortunately, few of them are original.

Daphni Monastery [BRF/01/01/01/189], Daphni Monastery, 1888-1890

Katholikon, Nave (dome) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the image of Prophet Sophonias which decorates the dome. This is a printed colour proof of an original drawing. A signature survives on the back.

Daphni Monastery [BRF/01/01/01/190], Daphni Monastery, 1888-1890

Katholikon, Nave (dome) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the image of the Pantokrator, one of the most celebrated images of Byzantine art, which occupies the centre of the large dome. Recent cleaning by the Greek Archaeological Service revealed the plasticity in the rendering of this austere face. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled (in Greek):

Daphni Monastery [BRF/01/01/01/191], Daphni Monastery, 1888-1890

Katholikon, Interior cornices. This ia a preliminary drawing.

Daphni Monastery [BRF/01/01/01/192], Daphni Monastery, 1888-1890

Katholikon, Interior cornices. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Daphni Monastery [BRF/01/01/01/193], Daphni Monastery, 1888-1890

Narthex doorway. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Daphni Monastery [BRF/01/01/01/194], Daphni Monastery, 1888-1890

Narthex doorway. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Hodegetria Church-Afendiko (Vrontochion Monastery) [BRF/01/01/14/054], Hodegetria Church-Afendiko (Vrontochion Monastery), 1888-1890

Refectory - Plan. The drawing is entitled in pencil: 'Mistras - Plan of Refectory - Monastery of Efentiko - 1/8th Scale'.

Hagios Panteleemon [BRF/01/01/07/223], Hagios Panteleemon, 1888-1890

Longitudinal section (west half) - Plan of dome. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawing no. 01/08/04/19/02 (BRF no. 01/01/07/222).

Hagios Panteleemon [BRF/01/01/07/225], Hagios Panteleemon, 1888-1890

Transverse section (south half?) - Plan of dome. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. See also drawing no. 01/08/04/19/04 (BRF no. 01/01/07/224).

Hagios Panteleemon [BRF/01/01/07/231], Hagios Panteleemon, 1888-1890

Part of section. This is a preliminary drawing in pencil. Notes survive on both sides.Blue lined paper was once probably part of a notebook. See also drawing no. 01/08/04/19/12 (BRF no. 01/01/07/232).

Hagios Panteleemon [BRF/01/01/07/232], Hagios Panteleemon, 1888-1890

Part of section. This is a prelimanary drawing. Further annotation survives on both sides. See also drawings no. 01/08/04/19/10 (BRF no. 01/01/07/230) and 01/08/04/19/11 (BRF no 01/01/07/231).

Hagios Panteleemon [BRF/01/01/07/233], Hagios Panteleemon, 1888-1890

Part of elevation. This is a prelimanary drawing in pencil. Further annotation survives on both sides of paper which was once probably part of a notebook

Hagios Panteleemon [BRF/01/01/07/234], Hagios Panteleemon, 1888-1890

Part of elevation. This is a prelimanary drawing in pencil. Further annotation survives on both sides paper which was probably once part of a notebook.

Hagios Panteleemon [BRF/01/01/07/235], Hagios Panteleemon, 1888-1890

Architectural members - Miscellaneous. This is a prelimanary drawing in pencil. Further annotation survives on both sides of the blue-lined paper which was once probably part of a notebook.

Panagia Church - Katholikon [BRF/01/01/04/034], Panagia Church - Katholikon, 1888-1890

Section through Panagia church looking south - North elevation of the Katholikon. This is a preliminary drawing.

Katholikon - Hossios Loukas [BRF/01/01/04/041], Katholikon - Hossios Loukas, 1888-1890

North elevation (detail) - Three-light window. This is a preliminary drawing.

Katholikon - Hossios Loukas [BRF/01/01/04/042], Katholikon - Hossios Loukas, 1888-1890

North elevation (detail) - Three-light window. This is a preliminary drawing.

Katholikon - Hossios Loukas [BRF/01/01/04/004], Katholikon - Hossios Loukas, 1888-1890

South-west view showing the exo-narthex. The exo-narthex of the Katholikon was removed in the late 16th c. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Panagia Acheiropoietos [BRF/01/01/07/012], Panagia Acheiropoietos, 1888-1890

Longitudinal section with south elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled in pencil: 'Section Through South Aisle Looking South'. Further annotation in ink and pencil survives. W.S. George also worked on these drawings (1907-1909).

Hagios Demetrios [BRF/01/01/07/338], Hagios Demetrios, 1948-1949

Plans of the apse. The drawing is numbered in ink as 'Fig. 9a and Fig. 9b'.

Hagios Demetrios [BRF/01/01/07/329], Hagios Demetrios, 1948-1949

Section through south trancept. The drawing is numbered in pencil as 'Fig. 10'. It is labelled in pencil:' Section through South Trancept looking Northwards'.

Hagios Demetrios [BRF/01/01/07/347], Hagios Demetrios, 1948-1949

Section through north trancept. The drawing is numbered in pencil as 'Fig. 11'. It is labelled in pencil:' Section through North Trancept looking South'. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Hagios Demetrios [BRF/01/01/07/325], Hagios Demetrios, 1948-1949

Elevation-East wall, north trancept. The drawing is numbered in pencil as 'Fig. 12 It is labelled in pencil:' East Wall of North Trancept'.

Hagios Demetrios [BRF/01/01/07/326], Hagios Demetrios, 1948-1949

Projections-East façade. The drawing is numbered in ink as 'Fig. 13'. It is labelled in pencil:'Projections from the East Façade'. .

Hagios Demetrios [BRF/01/01/07/327], Hagios Demetrios, 1948-1949

Elevation-North wall, south face. The drawing is numbered in pencil as 'Fig. 14'. It is labelled in pencil:'Part of North Wall, South Face'. Further annotation in pencil survives.

Hagios Demetrios [BRF/01/01/07/328], Hagios Demetrios, 1948-1949

Tomb chamber-East elevation. The drawing is numbered in ink as 'Fig. 15'. It is labelled in pencil:'East Elevation of the Tomb-Chamber'.

Erechtheion [BRF/01/01/01/028], Erechtheion, 1888-1890

Transverse section (top), Longitudinal section (bottom). The words 'Athens, Erechtheion' are inscribed on the top right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives. This is a preliminary drawing. A sketch (plan) in pencil survives on the reverse.

Panagia Gorgoepikoos [BRF/01/01/01/029], Panagia Gorgoepikoos, 1888?

Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'The Cathedral Athens', 'Plan'. Further annotation in ink survives.

Panagia Gorgoepikoos [BRF/01/01/01/030], Panagia Gorgoepikoos, 1888?

Transverse section (left), Longitudinal section (right). The drawing is entitled: 'The Catherdal Athens'. Further annotation in ink survives.

Panagia Gorgoepikoos [BRF/01/01/01/031], Panagia Gorgoepikoos, 1888?

Clockwise from upper row: Transverse section (left), Longitudinal section (right), Ground plan (bottom). Further annotation in ink survives.

Panagia Gorgoepikoos [BRF/01/01/01/032], Panagia Gorgoepikoos, 1888?

West elevation. The drawing is captioned: 'West Elevation'.

Panagia Gorgoepikoos [BRF/01/01/01/034], Panagia Gorgoepikoos, 1888?

East elevation. The drawing is captioned: 'East Elevation'.