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.
Head of Christ (south gallery)- Zoe and Constantine IX Monomachos panel. The photograph is stamped at the back twice with information concerning reproduction rights.
Head of the Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos (south gallery)- Zoe and Constantine IX Monomachos panel. The photograph is stamped at the back with information concerning reproduction rights.
Head Empress Zoe (south gallery)- Zoe and Constantine IX Monomachos panel. The photograph is stamped at the back with information concerning reproduction rights.
Face of Mother God with Christ Child (south gallery- east end) - John II Komnenos and Irene panel. The photograph is stamped at the back with information concerning reproduction rights.
Head of Christ Child (south gallery- east end)- John II Komnenos and Irene panel. The photograph is stamped at the back with information concerning reproduction rights.
Head of Emperor John II Komnenos (south gallery- east end)- John II Komnenos and Irene panel. The photograph is stamped at the back with information concerning reproduction rights.
Head of empress Irene (south gallery- east end)- John II Komnenos and Irene panel. The photograph is stamped at the back with information concerning reproduction rights.
Head of son Alexius (south gallery- east end)- John II Komnenus and Irene panel. The photograph is stamped at the back with information concerning reproduction rights.
Close view of the exterior. This is a commercial photograph. The photograph was found along with 7 more by the same creator/artist inside a copy of 'A Letter to the Right Honourable Lord Aldenham upon the subject of a Byzantine Evangelion' by Edwin Freshfield.
South-west view. This is a commercial photo. The photograph was found along with 7 more by the same creator/artist inside a copy of 'A Letter to the Right Honourable Lord Aldenham upon the subject of a Byzantine Evangelion' by Edwin Freshfield.
View of the east end. This is a commercial photo. The photograph was found along with 7 more by the same creator/artist inside a copy of 'A Letter to the Right Honourable Lord Aldenham upon the subject of a Byzantine Evangelion' by Edwin Freshfield.
Ground plan ((left part) - Longitudinal section (right part). Creator unknown
"Land Walls, Constantinople" written in pencil on the back. View near Yedi-kule looking south. This is probably a copy of a commercial photograph produced by Sebah & Joallier (see lower right of photo). It is attribued to Ronald Burrows but he was probably the donor of the photo to the Byzantine Research and Publication Fund.
Tower. The photograph is initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Tower. The photograph is initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Tower. The photograph is initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Fragment of harbour wall. The photograph is initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Distant view. This is a commercial photo. The photograph was found along with 7 more by the same creator/artist inside a copy of 'A Letter to the Right Honourable Lord Aldenham upon the subject of a Byzantine Evangelion' by Edwin Freshfield.
View of interior columns. This is a commercial photo. The photograph was found along with 7 more by the same creator/artist inside a copy of 'A Letter to the Right Honourable Lord Aldenham upon the subject of a Byzantine Evangelion' by Edwin Freshfield.
Byzantine ruins of Cyzicus fortifications in Balkiz Serai (Bal-Kiz Serai/Balikesir) region with local guide standing in front. This photograph originated in the Hellenic Society (SPHS) with # 4141 written in pencil on the back. A.E. Henderson is credited with the photograph on the back of this print but in the register of the Hellenic Society, both F.W. Hasluck and A.E. Henderson are credited with donating it to the collection. See SPHS Image collection for further details.
View of the narthex from the west. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 2929) and initialed (F.W.H) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View of the south façade. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 2926) and initialed (F.W.H) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
South-west view. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 2927) and initialed (F.W.H) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
North-east view. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 2928) and initialed (F.W.H) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
City walls beside lake Ascanus. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is number in pencil (3477). The photograph is annotated and initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back.
City walls- Outer (Lefke) gate. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is number in pencil (3475). The photograph is annotated and initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back.
City walls- Outer (Lefke) gate: view of the interior. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is number in pencil (3476). The photograph is annotated and initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back.
Guel Hatun Medresse. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is number in pencil (3478). The photograph is annotated and initialed (F.W.H.) in pencil at the back.
Church no 1: west façade. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Church no 1: west façade (close view). The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Church no 1: view from north-east. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Church no 1: east façade. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Church no 1: west end of nave. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Church no 1: north aisle looking east. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Church no 1: interior of the apse. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
church no 1: capital in narthex. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Mahaletch: east façade. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
Mahaletch: dome ceiling (close view).
Citadel and town. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered in pencil (H.S. 2301) at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Interior view. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered in pencil (H.S. 2302) at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
General view of the harbor and castle. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is initialed (C.R.A. Howden) and numbered (H.S. 6162) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View in castle. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is signed (W. Connal) and numbered (H.S. 7160) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives. J. Penoyre appears to be the donor of the photograph.
Coats of arms on the castle wall. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 4671) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives. Creator unknown.
Hierapolis. Caria. Outer gate with round tower This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 3152) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.See SPHS log book for more details
Hierapolis. Caria.The martyrium. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 3153) in pencil at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives which states it is a 'church' but does not identify it. See SPHS log entry for more detail.
View of the "nave" looking east. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 3124) at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View of the doorjamb with the relief cross and the bull. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 3130) at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View of the citadel form the east. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 3111) at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View of the Artemision looking north. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 3136) at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.
View of the Gate. This is a Hellenic Society photograph. It is numbered (H.S. 3112) at the back. Further annotation in pencil survives.