Collections : [University of Michigan History of Art Visual Resources Collection]

The Kozo Sasaki collection is comprised of approximately 3,185 images of Asian artwork. The images are a compilation of slides and black & white photographs taken by Dr. Kozo Sasaki. The artwork ranges from the Momoyama period (1573-1603) to the Taisho period (1912-1926).

The Kozo Sasaki collection contains 3,033 slides and 152 black & white photographs taken by Dr. Kozo Sasaki himself. The slides and photographs depict Asian artwork, primarily Japanese, ranging from the late 16th century to the early 20th century and cover the Momoyama (1573-1603) to Taisho periods (1912-1926). The majority of the images are Edo period paintings and hanging scrolls. Many of the slides were taken of art in situ. Also included in the collection are images of sculptures, ceramics, mandalas, woodblock prints, sketches, illustrations, decorative arts, and photographs of temples. A set of twelve Japanese handscrolls are captured in a series of 152 black & white photographs.

The Asian Scrolls collection is comprised of 56 facsimile handscrolls and books of Japanese and Chinese origin. The scrolls depict landscapes and animals, as well as scenes from famous works and stories. Among the scrolls are also examples of the calligraphy of famous artists, such as Kobo-Daishi. The originals were created throughout the Tang, Sung, and Ming dynasties.

The Asian Scrolls collection is composed of 56 facsimile handscrolls and books of Japanese and Chinese origin. The scrolls depict landscapes, animals, and scenes from famous works and stories. Among the scrolls are examples of the calligraphy of famous artists, such as Kobo-Daishi. The original scrolls were created throughout the Tang, Sung, and Ming dynasties. This collection contains copies of the Japanese work “Ippen Shomin Ekotoba” and “Letter to Saicho” and the Chinese work “Admonitions of the Instructress of the Ladies in the Palace." As these scrolls are reproductions, the originals are housed in other institutions such as the British Museum, Beijing’s Palace Museum, and Honolulu’s Academy of Arts. Four of the scrolls are of Chinese artwork but have been reproduced by the Japanese, and therefore, the artist’s names have been translated differently.

Mixed within the collection is a series of approximately five books. The leaves of the books are connected in an alternating format, creating an accordion style book. While many of the books contain artwork depicting scenes of natures and scenes from famous works, one book contains photographs of bronze Chinese objects. The photographs have titles but the book is untitled.

The archive contains 81 black & white albumen silver prints depicting colonial Indian architectural monuments (mosques, tombs, and palaces). Most of the photos include the photographer’s name, print number, and image description at the print’s bottom right corner. However, approximately 37 of the photos are unattributed. All but one print are mounted on board and include hand written identifications describing the image in English.

The Bourne and Shepherd Indian Mounted Prints collection contains 81 mounted albumen photographs taken by the members of the Bourne and Shepherd partnership during the latter half of the 19th century in India. The photographs depict architectural monuments throughout India, including mosques, tombs, and palaces.

The Berenson Fototeca is a collection of approximately 150,000 black-and-white photographs of Italian artwork, especially paintings and drawings from the 13th to the end of the 16th centuries. Berenson believed in capturing artwork in photograph form so as to enable the study of the creative process and the creation of artwork.

The Berenson Fototeca is a collection of approximately 150,000 black-and-white photographs of Italian artwork, especially paintings and drawings from the 13th to the end of the 16th centuries. Berenson believed in capturing artwork in photograph form in order to enable the study of the creative process and the creation of these works. The photographs are 3.9 x 5.9 inches and include the name of the artist, the subject, and the location of the original artwork, if known. The collection includes the works of artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo, as well as, Cavallini, Filippino Lippi, Parmigianino, Sodoma, and many others.

The Roberta Keniston Postcard Collection contains six boxes of postcards and other visual ephemera from the 20th century. The collection focuses mostly in European architecture and painting. The majority of the postcards are blank, but some do include correspondence.

The Roberta Keniston Postcard Collection contains six boxes of postcards and other visual ephemera from the 20th century. The boxes are first organized by donor, and then very broadly divided by the type of architecture or artwork depicted on the postcards. These subdivisions are arranged by geographic region, media, and/or subject of the work shown on the postcard.

The majority of items in this collection are postcards dating from 1900-1918, which was during the “golden age” of postcard collecting, lasting from about 1895 to 1915. Other items, including photographs, souvenir photo books, greeting cards, and exhibition announcements in this collection were published throughout the 20th century. Correspondence to and from History of Art faculty and staff appear on some of the postcards.

The Arthur Upham Pope collection is composed of approximately 50 rolls of black-and-white negatives created during Pope's research in Iran between 1925 and 1928. The photographs focus primarily on Persian architecture and monuments, but also include Persian ceramics, textiles, and illustrated manuscripts.

The Arthur Upham Pope collection is composed of approximately 50 rolls of black-and-white negatives. The negatives are the product of Pope's research and time spent in Iran between 1925 and 1928. The photographs focus primarily on Persian architecture and monuments, but also include Persian ceramics, textiles, and illustrate manuscripts. The collection highlights important cities with Persian historical importance, including Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Tabriz. (For a complete list see the subjects below.)

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The Islamic Art Archives is composed of six collections, including those of Mehmet Ağa-Oğlu, Arthur Upham Pope, Donald Newton Wilber, Oleg Grabar, Marianna Shreve Simpson, and the Afghanistan Archaeological Remains Photographs Collection. The collection also includes photographic prints of the pages of the illustrated manuscripts Maqamat and Shah Nama, and additional photographs of Islamic architecture.

The Islamic Art Archives is composed of six collections, including those of Mehmet Ağa-Oğlu, Arthur Upham Pope, Donald Newton Wilber, Oleg Grabar, Marianna Shreve Simpson, and the Afghanistan Archaeological Remains Photograph. The Mehmet Ağa-Oğlu collection documents the Islamic and pre-Islamic art and architecture of the Middle East, Persia, the Caucasus, Western Asia, North Africa, and Southern Spain. Arthur Upham Pope focused primarily on Persian architecture and monuments, but his collection also includes photographs of Persian ceramics, textiles, and illustrated manuscripts. Wilber, Pope's colleague, also primarily studied Iranian monuments but he focused on those built during the Achaemenid and Sasanian empires. Oleg Grabar's work focused on the architecture of the seventh and eighth centuries of the Umayyad dynasty, the architecture of Jerusalem under Islamic rule, Arabic and Persian illustrated manuscripts and ornaments, and contemporary Islamic architecture. On the other hand, the Afghanistan Archaeological Remains Photograph collection depicts Afghanistan sculptures, statues, figural reliefs, pottery, and other archaeological remains, the majority of which are from the Kabul Museum in Afghanistan. Finally, Dr. Simpson's collection documents her work and her notes from her study of Islamic manuscripts around the world. The collection also includes photographic prints of the pages of the illustrated manuscripts Maqamat and Shah Nama.

The Donald Newton Wilber collection is comprised of approximately 2,500 black-and-white negatives of Iranian architectural monuments. The collection depicts monuments from the Achaemenid and Sasanian empires.

The Donald Newton Wilber collection is comprised of approximately 2,500 black and white negatives depicting tombs, shrines, mosques, gardens and bridges throughout Iran. The negatives depict Wilber's work in Iran during the 1930's when he studied the architectural monuments of Iran, including the Shrine of Imam Riza in Mashhad, the Do Minar Dardasht in Isfahan, and the Achaemenid tomb in Naqsh-i-Rustam. Some of the monuments date from the Archaemenid (550-330 CE) or Sasanian Empires (224-651 CE).

The Ağa-Oğlu collection is comprised of approximately 42 glass lantern slides and 648 slides, which depict Islamic and pre-Islamic art and architecture of the Middle East, Persia, the Caucasus, Western Asia, North Africa, and Southern Spain. The collection was compiled by Professor Mehmet Ağa-Oğlu and Professor Grabar during the 1930's.

The Mehmet Ağa-Oğlu Collection contains 42 4 x 5 glass lantern slides and 648 slides compiled by Professor Mehmet Ağa-Oğlu and Oleg Grabar. The glass lantern slides depict images of pre-Islamic and Islamic architecture and material culture. The buildings (mosques, tombs, fortresses, domestic spaces) and objects (illuminated manuscripts, metalware, glassware) represent a vast geographical range from the Middle East, Persia, the Caucasus, Western Asia, North Africa, and Southern Spain. The 648 slides contain original field photographs, official museum photographs, and photographs of printed reproductions published in scholarly texts. This collection offers insights into the early state of the field of Islamic art and therefore is of particular interest to specialists concerned with issues of historiography. Likewise, scholars interested in studying monuments over time will find these photographic images useful.

The collection consists of approximately 900 negatives depicting the art and architecture of Latin American countries, including Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Columbia, Mexico and Cuba. The negatives were the product of Dr. Wethey's research focus on Latin American art and architecture starting in the 1940's.

The collection consists of approximately 900 negatives depicting the art and architecture of Latin American countries, including Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Columbia, Mexico and Cuba. The negatives were the product of Dr. Wethey's research focus on Latin American art and architecture starting in the 1940's. The majority of the collection focuses on the art and architecture of Peru, with a secondary focus on Argentina, especially religious architecture, including altars, facades, cloisters, naves, and chapels. The some of the Peruvian art is from the Cuzco school. Many of the negatives have been photographed from books. The artwork includes the work of Jose Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Prilidiano Pueyrredón, Benito Quinquela Martín, and many others.

The collection was rehoused but the original negative sleeves were preserved, complete with the original description. The information written on the original envelopes was transferred to the new sleeves and recorded in an inventory, which is available upon request. The original sleeves are housed in the last two boxes of the collection.