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

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 archive contains 53 collodion prints depicting Egyptian 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. All but one print are mounted on board and include hand written identifications describing the image in English or French.

The Egyptian Mounted Prints collection contains approximately 53 mounted collodion prints depicting Egyptian and Middle Eastern architectural monuments from the 19th century. While the earliest trends in Egyptian photography depict ancient Egyptian architecture, this collection focuses on the Islamic and Coptic religious architecture of Cairo, produced by photographers active from the 1870-1890s. The photographs were taken by three prominent photography studios, the Maison Bonfils (5 photos), Adelphoi Zangaki (C. & G. Zangaki) (1 photo), and G. Lékégian & cie (48 photos). The photos primarily depict Egyptian architecture in mosques and gateways within Cairo. The collection includes approximately 8 photos which depict daily life in Cairo. Finally the collection includes two photos taken of furniture and decorations located in museums.