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.
Capital of the north-west or the south-east pillar. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Capital of the north-west or the south-east pillar. On the reverse: Capital of the north-east or the south-west pillar. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives. An unfinished sketch of a capital survives at the back.
General view. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back.
West façade. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
North-west angle. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
South façade. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
North façade. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
South-east view. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Detail of the dome. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Interior view of the narthex with the proskynitarion. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Interior view of the nave. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph.
Ground plan. The drawing is labelled in ink: 'A Plan of the Church'. It is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Gilded wood-carved templon. Notable are the post-Byzantine icons. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2863). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
The gilded templon. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2865). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
The templon with post-Byzantine icons. This is a Hellenic Society photograph (H.S. 2867). It is initialed (A.J.B.W.) and annotated in pencil at the back.
View of the bridge and the chapel. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back of the photograph. Donated by Leaf. W?
View of the east end from the north-east. The photograph is stamped at the back:'Copyright Robert W.S. Weir & The Byzantine Research & Publication Fund'. Further annotation in pencil survives at the back.Further annotation survives at the back of the photograph. See also photos nos: 02/06/29/01 (BRF no. 02/01/07/139) and 02/06/30/01 (BRF no. 02/01/07/140).
Hagia Sophia-Interior view (south gallery). Written on back in pencil on upper left corner: "Ag. Sophia" and a 4 digit number "5669" which seems to refer to a Hellenic Society negative number. This photograph is probably a copy of a commercial photograph produced by SebSebah & Joallier. It was attributed to Ronald Burrows who was probably the donor of the photograph to the Byzantine Research and Publication Fund
"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.
Photograph of Genoese Walls. "Phocaea, Genoese Wall, FW Hasluck, Bithynia" is written in pencil of the back and "Neg. no. 6235" which probably to a Hellenic Society negative number.
Plan of the monastic complex. This is a detailed ground plan of the Daou-Penteli monastic buildings. The drawing is entitled:'Church of the Ruined Monastery at Daou-Mendeli- Attica- Greece'. The monastic buildings are inscribed separately. Further annotation in pencil survives. F.W. Hasluck contributed to the survey of these buildings.
Upper row (from left to right): West elevation, South elevation, East elevation, Cross section (looking west). Middle row (from left to right): Cross section, North elevation, Longitudinal section (looking south). Lower row (from left to right): Ground plan, Plan at gallery level, Plan at lower roof level. The elevations and the plans depict the main church, the katholikon, of the Daou-Penteli monastic complex. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of the Ruined Monastery at Daou-Mendeli- Attica- Greece'. Each elevation and plan is inscribed separately. Futher annotation in pencil survives. F.W. Hasluck contributed to the survey these buildings.
Longitudinal section - Detail of carved frieze (cornice). This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled in ink:'Church of S. Sophia Monemvasia. It is labelled in ink:'Section Looking North-West'. It is annotated in pencil.
View of the iconostasis. The photograph is annotated in pencil at the back. Creator unknown.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is signed ('W. Harvey' ) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is signed ('W. Harvey' ) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Plan of the crypt. This is a preliminary drawing. It is signed ('W. Harvey' ) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section looking north. This is a preliminary drawing. It is signed ('W. Harvey' ) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section looking west. This is a preliminary drawing. It is signed ('W. Harvey' ) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section looking east. This is a preliminary drawing. It is signed ('W. Harvey' ) and dated (1908) in pencil in the lower right-hand corner. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Various Ionic and impost capitals and columns from various sites in Boeotia. (St Nicholas near Skripou, St George near St Luke Monastery). A note in pencil dated in 22/03/1939 (possibly written by Peter Megaw) identifies P. Rodeck as the creator of the drawing.
Cross section with iconography in ink and watercolour. This is a not a final drawing.
Ground plan. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of the Holy Apostles Thessalonica', No.1. It is labelled: 'Plan of the Church'.
West elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. Further annotation in ink survives.
Longitudinal section. The drawing is entitled: 'Church of the Holy Apostles Thessalonica'. It is labelled: 'Longitudinal Section Looking North'.
West elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled: 'Church of the Holy Apostles Thessalonica'. No. 6. It is labelled: 'West Elevation'.
East elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled: 'Church of the Holy Apostles Thessalonica'. No. 7. It is labelled: 'EastElevation'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section (top) - Longitudinal section (bottom). The drawing is entitled: 'Church Of S. Catherine Thessalonica', No 3. It is labelled: 'Cross Section Through Church Looking East' and 'Longitudinal Section Through Church Looking North'.
Ground plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'A Plan of the Church'. It is entitled in pencil: 'Church Of The Mother Of God (Theotokos), Thessalonika'. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Gallery plan. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'A Plan Of The Gallery & Upper Part Of Church'. It is entitled in pencil: 'Church Of The Mother Of God (Theotokos), Thessalonika'. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Longitudinal section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'Longitudinal Section Looking South'. Further annotation in pencil survives. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
West elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'West Elevation'. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
North-east elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'North-East Elevation'. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
South-east elevation. This is a preliminary drawing. It is labelled: 'South-East Elevation'. W.S. George (1906-1915/1907-1909?) has contributed to the drawings of this church.
Longitudinal section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Elias Thessalonica - Long Section'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Longitudinal section - Plan of the dome (upper left-hand corner). This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Elias Thessalonica' No 2. It is labelled:'Longitudinal Section Through Church Looking North' and 'A Plan of the Dome'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Elias Salonica - Cross Section Looking East'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Elias Thessalonica' No 3. It is labelled:'Cross Section Looking West'. Further annotation in pencil survives.
Transverse section. This is a preliminary drawing. It is entitled:'Church of S. Elias Salonica - Cross Section Looking West'. Further annotation in pencil survives.