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.
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.
Rubbing of part of the sculputural cornice in the Katholikon on torn piece of packing paper. Back of packing paper has written on it, 'George Macmillan Esq: Bedford Street'. Rubbing depicts the en-champleve cornice of the Katholikon that divides the marble cladding of the walls (opus sectile) in two horizontal parts. It is described in plate 28 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'inlaid band round walls at level of galleries'.
Rubbings on packaging paper one on each side. One side depicts the upper main motif of one of the slabs reventing exterior dome drum which is a cross with palmettes on steps. The otherside of the paper depics the steps.
Rubbing with pencil annotations, on part of an english language newspaper, depicting part of the cornice of the exterior of the diakonikon. The cornice is decorated with a so-called floriated pseudo-cufic inscription made in en-champleve technique (χειρομαστιχη). It is described on plate 28 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'carved stringcoures round apses of small church'
Rubbing with pencil annotations, on part of an english language newspaper, depicting part of the cornice of the exterior of the diakonikon. The cornice is decorated with a so-called floriated pseudo-cufic inscription made in en-champleve technique (χειρομαστιχη). It is described on plate 28 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'carved stringcourses round apses of small church'
Rubbing, with pencil annotations, on english language newspaper depicking part of the cornice of the bema apse.The cornice is decorated with a so-called floriated pseudo-cufic inscription made in en-champleve technique (χειρομαστιχη).
Rubbing, with pencil annotations, on english language newspaper depicting part of the cornice of the exterior of the prothesis. The motif is of interlocking circles with half palmettes. It is described on plate 28 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'carved stringcourses round apses of small church'
Rubbings with pencil annotations, on english language newspaper [The Daily News, June 25th 1890), of the templon epistyle. There are two rubbings which show two different parts. The first one is the front of the epistyle and it has a motif of interlocking circles with palmettes. The second one is the soffit of the epistyle which most likely belongs to the diakonikon entrance and is decorated with a lozenge and palmette scrolls. The motifs of the rubbings are described on plate 24 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'section of lintel to diaconicon' and 'details of screen to diaconicon'
Rubbings of 3 parts of the templon epistyle of the prothesis with pencill annotations indicating the different part of the epistyle, on english language newspaper [The Daily News, June 30th 1890). The motifs of the rubbings are described on plate 24 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as ' details of screens to prothesis'
Rubbings of 2 parts of the templon epistyle of the bema with pencill annotations indicating the different part of the epistyle, on english language newspaper [The Daily News, July 5th 1890). The motifs of the rubbings are described on plate 24 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as ' details of screen to bema''
Rubbing, with pencil annotation noting its location and some red fill color on the one side of motif, on english language newspaper of a capital of the narthex window. The motif of the rubbing is described on plate 27 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'narthex small church'
Rubbing, with pencil annotations on english language newspaper, of the right upper part of the epistyle of the prothesis screen.The motif of the rubbing is described on plate 23 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, in the section 'details of screen to prothesis'. This rubbing is the continuation of the rubbing catalogued as BRF/01/01/04/193.
Rubbing on english language newspaper with pencil annotation regarding location and technique of a bracket of the upper part of the bema epistyle. The motif of the rubbing is described on plate 23 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'details of screen to bema'
Rubbing on english language newspaper dated July 16th, 1890 with pencil annotation regarding location of the upper part of the bema epistyle. The motif of the rubbing is described on plate 23 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, as 'details of screen to bema'
Rubbing, with pencil annotations on english language newspaper, of the left side of the upper part of the epistyle of the prothesis screen.The motif of the rubbing is described on plate 23 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia, in the section 'details of screen to prothesis'. The rubbing catalogued as BRF/01/01/04/190 is the contiuation of this piece.
Rubbing on greek language printed journal, with annotations noting dimensions, of inlaid decoration on sarcophagus top. The rubbing reproduces a floriated cufic decoration with mastic incrustation (cheiromastike). The motif of the rubbing is published as figure 25, p. 35 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia. The caption reads, 'Inlay on top of tomb slab).
Preliminary drawing showing a capital and column in differnt perspectives. The drawing is done on the reverse part of dated lithograph (12/12/1896). This drawing is a version of the published image on plate 26 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia. Due to the date of the lithograph, this sketch is possibly the work of Pieter Rodeck who is acknowledged in the introduction of the book by Schultz and Barnsley for assisting in verifying information before the book was published.
Plan of the two churches. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis Greece', 'A Plan of the Two Churches'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Plan of the galleries of the Katholikon, the narthex and the exo-narthex of the Panagia church - Plan of the dome. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'A Plan of Galleries etc.'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Upper row: Longitudinal section through Panagia church - Lower row: Plan of the crypt. The drawing is entitled in ink: 'Section through Small Church looking South' and 'Plan of Crypt under Great Church'.
Longitudinal section with iconography. This is a preliminary drawing.
Cross section with iconography in ink and watercolour. This is a not a final drawing.
Isometrical section towards south-east. The drawing is labelled in ink:'Monastery of Saint Luke Phocis Greece'. Further annotation in ink and pencil survives.
Longitudinal section of the Panagia church - North elevation of the Katholikon. The drawing is entitled in ink:'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Section through Small Church', 'North Elevation of the Great Church'.
Marble pavement. The drawing is entitled in ink:'Monasatery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Plan of Marble Pavement in Small Church'.
Marble pavement (detail). The drawing is entitled in ink:'Monastery of St Luke of Stiris Phocis', 'Detail of Central Portion of Pavement in Small Church'.
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.
Drawings in ink of various architectural details on one piece of paper. The individual drawings are labelled in ink: 'Window in Apse' (upper row on the left), 'Slab over Door' (upper row on the right), 'Fragment of an Iconostasis' (Middle row), 'Section-Plan' (lower row on the left), 'Parts of Column' (lower row on the right). Robert Weir Schultz or Peter Megaw has annotationed in pencil on the front giving credit to Rodeck for the drawing. There are also pencil annotations on the back which refer to previous catalogue numbers.
Elevation of the dome.The drawing is captioned as follows: 'Elevation of Dome no 1 Type'. It had previously been part of the 'Unidentified Drawings' section of the BRPF database. It has a stamp, ' B.T. Batsford, 94 High Holborn, London, WC'. This drawing could be a version of part of plate 7 of the monograph, Weir Schultz, Robert & Barnsley, Sidney H. 1901. The Monastery of Saint Luke of Stiris, in Phocis, and the dependent monastery of Saint Nicolas in the Fields, near Skripou, in Boeotia.
Katholikon-Mosaic decoration.
Katholikon, narthex - Mosaic decoration. Further annotation survivres at the back of the drawing. The note: 'mosaic border - over entrance into church' survives in pencil at the back.