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 the two-storey portico. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Francish cloister. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Francish cloister (elevation). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon- South elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon - North elevation (?). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon - North elevation (?). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. On the reverse is written: 'Daphni'.
Elevation of the central apse (detail). The drawing is captioned as follows: 'Church at Daphne near Athens. Detail of Centre Apse Half inch Scale'. Further annotation in pencil survives. The sketches of a church and of a sheep in pencil survive at the back.
Katholikon - East elevation. Noteworthy is the meander frieze in the central apse. The drawing is entitled: 'Church at Daphne', 'East Elevation'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Katholikon - East elevation. Noteworthy is the meander frieze in the central apse. The drawing is entitled: 'Church at Daphne near Athens', 'Elevation of East End', '1/4 Inch Scale'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Katholikon - East elevation. Noteworthy is the meander frieze in the central apse. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of Daphni Attica'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Katholikon - South elevation. The drawing is entitled: 'Church at Daphni near Athens', 'Elevation of South End, 1/4 Inch Scale'. The word: 'Daphni' is written in pencil at the back.
Katholikon - South elevation. Noteworthy is the dental frieze that surrounds the grouped-type windows. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of Daphni Attica'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Katholikon - North elevation. Noteworthy is the dental frieze that surrounds the grouped-type windows. The drawing is entitled: 'Monastery of Daphni Attica'. Further annotation in ink survives.
Katholikon - Mosaic decoration (arch of north door). The drawing is entitled in pencil: 'Church of Daphne near Athens'. Further annotation in [encil survives.
Katholikon - Mosaic decoration (arch of north door). Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon - Mosaic decoration from freize of narthex. Coloured drawing wiht annotation in pencil.
Katholikon, north transept - Mosaic decoration. The drawing is captioned as follows: 'Daphne, 1890, Mosaic in N. Transept'.
Katholikon, bema - Mosaic decoration. The drawing is captioned as follows: 'Daphne, 1890, Mosaic in Bema'.
Katholikon - Mosaic decoration. The Drawing depicts three of the images of the Prophets which decorate the dome. This is a preliminary drawing. A unfinished sketch depicting a priest inside a holy bema survives in pencil at the back.
Katholikon, nave (squinch) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the scene of the Annunciation which decorates the north-east squinch of the nave. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, narthex - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts parts of two of the scenes which decorate the narthex: of the Washing of the Feet and the Presentation of the Virgin. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, nave (squinch) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the scene of the Baptesm which decorates the South-West Squinch of the nave. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, nave (squinch) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the scene of the Transfiguration which decorates the North-West Squinch of the nave. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, nave (squinch) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the scene of the Nativity which decorates the North-East Squinch of the nave. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, nave - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the scene of the Dormition which decorates the West wall of the nave. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, narthex - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the scene of the Presentaton of the Virgin which decorates the east wall of the narthex. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, bema - Mosaic. The drawing depicts the image of Archangel Michael which decorates the north conch of the bema. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, nave (dome) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts the Head of Prophet Ezekiel which decorates the dome. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, nave (dome) - Mosaic decoration. The drawing depicts part (the upper body) of Prophet Ezekiel which decorates the dome. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. Partly revised colour drawing.
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. Writing survives on the back.
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.
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):
Katholikon, Interior cornices. This ia a preliminary drawing.
Katholikon, Interior cornices. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Narthex doorway. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Narthex doorway. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Katholikon, bema - Marble wall revetment. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. Various sketches of unknown buildings survive in pencil on the back.
Katholikon, bema (east apse) - Marble wall revetment. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. Partly revised, annotated coloured drawing.
Katholikon, bema - East apse. The drawing depicts the decoration of the East Apse of the katholikon (marble revetment and mosaics). This is a preliminary drawing.
Katholikon, bema - East apse. The drawing depicts the decoration of the east apse of the katholikon (marble revetment and mosaics). This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. This is a ground plan of the cemeterial chapel, a three-aisled domed basilica dedicated to Hagios Nikolaos, which is located to the east of the monastic complex. A crypt with eight graves has been excavated below the church. The walling of the building is of typical cloisonné. The chapel is dated to the late 11th c. This is a preliminary Drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. This is a ground plan of the cemeterial chapel, a three-aisled domed basilica dedicated to Hagios Nikolaos, which is located to the east of the monastic complex. A crypt with eight graves has been excavated below the church. The walling of the building is of typical cloisonné. The chapel is dated to the late 11th c. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. A sketch (plan) in pencil survives at the back.
Ground plan. This is a ground plan of the cemeterial chapel, a three-aisled domed basilica dedicated to Hagios Nikolaos, which is located to the east of the monastic complex. A crypt with eight graves has been excavated below the church. The walling of the building is of typical cloisonné. The chapel is dated to the late 11th c. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section of monastic building. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section, Part of elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Part of elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section. The drawing had previously been part of the 'Unidentified Drawings' section of the BRPF database.
Ground plan. The drawing is captioned as follows: 'Monastery Church Of Daphni Attica'. Further annotation in ink survives. The drawing had previously been part of the 'Unidentified Drawings' section of the BRPF database.
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church at Kaesariani: Attica'.
Ground plan and marble jambs. The drawing is numbered as follows: 'Attica : No 1'. It is entitled in pencil: 'Attica: Monastery - Church of Kaisariani'. Furher annotation in ink and pencil survives.