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.
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Sketch-Plan of Church at Denderah'. It is signed (G.S. Mileham) in ink in the bottom left-hand corner. Further annotation in ink survives. Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Sketch-Plan of Church at Denderah'. It is signed (G.S. Mileham) in ink in the bottom left-hand corner. Further annotation in ink survives. Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Ground plan. This is a reproduction of drawings nos. 01/07/03/01/01 and 01/07/03/01/02 (BRF nos. 01/06/01/01 and 01/06/01/02). It is signed (G.S. Meham) and dated (June 1935) in pencil in the bottom right-hand corner. Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Ground plan. This is a reproduction of drawings nos. 01/07/03/01/01 and 01/07/03/01/02 (BRF nos. 01/06/01/01 and 01/06/01/02). It is signed (G.S. Meham) and dated (Oct. 1938) in pencil in the bottom right-hand corner. Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Incised paving (south side of the church). The drawing is entitled in ink: "Church at Denderah. Incised lines of paving on south side of church". It is signed (G.S. Mileham) and dated (1933 and Oct. 1938) in ink and pencil at the bottom. Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Incised paving (south side of the church). The drawing is entitled in ink: "Church at Denderah. Incised lines of paving on south side of church". It is signed (G.S. Mileham) and dated (1933 and June 1935) in ink and pencil at the bottom. Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Incised paving (south side of the church). This is a reproduction of drawing no 01/07/03/01/06 (BRF no 01/06/01/6). Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Incised paving (south side of the church). This is a reproduction of drawing no 01/07/03/01/05 (BRF no 01/06/01/5). Copies of the drawings could be found at the Griffin Library at Hill.
Carved statues. The drawing is dated and initialed (SHB) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
Christ from the Last Judgement. The drawing is dated and initialed (SHB) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner.
East façade (central apse). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
South façade, west end (detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East façade, south part (detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives on the back of the photograph.
Central inner door leading from the narthex to the nave. Furher annotation in pencil survives on the back of the photograph.
Photograph of drawing showing the north elevation This photograph shows a different version of drawing no 01/07/04/01/02N which is not included in the collection. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Photograph of drawing showing the transverse (left) and longitudinal section (right). This photograph shows a different version of drawing no 01/07/03/21/02 which is not included in the collection. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Photograph of drawing showing the ground plan. This photograph shows a different version of drawing no 01/07/03/21/01 which is not included in the collection. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Photograph of drawing showing the south elevation. This photograph shows a different version of drawing no 01/07/04/01/02S which is not included in the collection. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Photograph of drawing showing the east elevation. This photograph shows a different version of drawing no 01/07/04/01/01E which is not included in the collection. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
West façade (north end, detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
West façade (south end, detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East façade (detail of the marble frieze that surrounds the main apse-south part). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
North façade (west end, detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
North façade (east end- detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
View from south. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
South gable. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
View from north-east. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East façade (detail of the main apse with view of the roof). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
The fresco decoration of the east apse of the church. The notes (in pencil) : 'Church of S. Andrew', Athens' and 'W. Leaf, Duplicate' survive at the back. Furhter annotation in pencil survives.
View from the north (north façade). This is a photograph of the Hagioi Apostoloi church before restoration. A note survives at the back: 'Agios Apostoloi, Athens (Church of the Holy Apostles), NortH.S.ide 1890.
View of the interior of the church. View of the holy bema of the church from the south door. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
View from west. (west façade). Noteworthy is the street-level. A note at the back reads: 'Kapnikarea Church - View from West'. Furher annotation in pencil survives.
View from south-west. Noteworthy is the street-level. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
View from south-east. Noteworthy is the street-level. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
View from west. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
North façade (east end- detail). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Photograph of drawing showing the west elevation. This photograph shows a different version of drawing no 01/07/04/01/01W which is not included in the collection. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
South façade (east end, detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
West gable. Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East façade (detail of the marble frieze that surrounds the main apse-central part). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East façade, south part (detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
East façade, north part (detail of the marble frieze). Furher annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
View of the roof and the dome from the west. A note at the back of the photograph reads: 'Athens, The Russian Church'.
View of the church from south-east. A note at the back of the photograph reads: 'Panagia Lykodemou, Athens', 'View from South-East'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View from the east (east façade). A note at the back of the photograph reads: 'Panagia Lykodemou, Athens', 'East End'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View from east. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Capital with marble relief decoration. Now in Byzantine Museum Athens. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.