Collections

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 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.

The Afghanistan Archaeological Remains Photograph collection contains photographs, postcards, drawings, and pages of text for an exhibition about Dr. Richard Edward’s Bamiyan photographs of 1968. Most photographs depict archaeological remains from the Begram and Hadda regions of Afghanistan, along with photographs of artifacts from the Kabul Museum. The objects represented in these photographs include sculptures of animals, people, and religious or mythological figures, as well as architectural fragments, medallions, and pottery vessels, made from materials such as glass, stucco, ivory, bronze, schist, and limestone. The Afghanistan Archaeological Remains Photograph collection is part of the Islamic Art Archives collection.

The Afghanistan Archaeological Remains Photograph collection is composed of approximately 1250 photographs, depicting Afghanistan sculptures, statues, figural reliefs, pottery, and other archaeological remains, the majority of which are from the Kabul Museum in Afghanistan. The photographs were largely taken by Dr. Suresh Vasant while other photographers included Dr. Richard Edrwards, Dr. Walter Spink, Dr. John M. Rosenfield, and Horst P. Schastok. Dr. Richard Edwards took his photographs of Bamiyan in 1968, while the others were likely taken by Dr. Suresh Vasant in 1971. There are approximately 64 photographs and 23 postcards from other institutions. Archaeological remains from the Hadda and Begram regions of Afghanistan comprise the majority of the collection, although there are many photographs of the Bamiyan (approx. 119 photographs) and Fauladi (25 photographs) regions, and of objects from the regions Mundigak (approx. 34 photographs), Fondukistan (approx. 23 photographs) and Surkh Kotal (approx. 38 photographs). The photographs highlight objects made of stucco, terracotta, glass, ivory, stone, and schist, and include sculptures of animals, people, and religious or mythological figures, as well as architectural fragments, medallions, and pottery vessels. General views of archaeological sites such as Bamiyan and Fauladi are also depicted in the photographs.The Afghanistan Archaeological Remains Photograph collection is part of the Islamic Art Archives collection.

The Southeast Asian Art Archive is composed of seven collections, including the Southeast Asia Art Foundation Archive (SAAF), the Breezewood Collection, the Ajanta Caves Collection, the Walter Spink Indian Caves Collection, the Walter Spink Collection, the Borobudur Collection, and the American Council for Southeast Asian Art (ACSAA) Collection. The collection contains photographs and slides of Southeast Asian monuments, sculptures, Indian rock-cut architecture, and more.

The Southeast Asian Art Archive is composed of seven smaller collections, including the Southeast Asia Art Foundation Archive, the Breezewood Collection, the Ajanta Caves Collection, the Walter Spink Indian Caves Collection, the Walter Spink Collection, the Borobudur Collection, and the American Council for Southeast Asian Art Collection (ACSAA). The Southeast Asia Art Foundation Archive contains photographs, collected by John Adams Thierry, that document sculptures, monuments, and archaeological sites in Cambodia, Java, and Thailand. Many of these sculptures and monuments were vandalized, damaged, insensitively restored, or destroyed. The Breezewood Collection focuses on the art and architecture of Thailand, but also includes examples of sculptures, decorative arts, ceramics, and paintings from Burma, Cambodia, India, and Indonesia. The Ajanta Caves Collection contains the research work of Walter Spink and photographically documents 29 of the 31 rock-cut caves. The photographs range from panoramic views of the Ajanta complex to detailed photographs of the façades, porches, courts, shrines, and interiors. The Walter Spink Indian Caves Collection further documents the research of Walter Spink by looking at rock-cut architecture of other caves throughout India, including Aurangabad, Badami, Bagh, Bedse, Bhaja, Elephanta, Ellora, Kanheri, and others. The Walter Spink Collection contains additional research of the rock-cut architecture of temples, shrines, and monuments throughout India. The Borobudur Collection documents the Buddhist monument of Borobudur, found in Central Java, in detail. The last collection is the American Council for Southern Asian Art (ACSAA) Slide Distribution Collection. This collection contains a wide array of materials depicting Southern Asian art and architecture.

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 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.

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 Borobudur collection is composed of approximately 4,000 color and black-and-white slides depicting the Borobudur temple. The collection contains slides from the Southeast Asia Art Foundation (SAAF) Archive and from Patrick Young's expedition to the Buddhist temple in 1983.

The Borobudur collection is composed of approximately 4,000 color and black-and-white slides depicting the Borobudur temple. The collection contains slides from the Southeast Asia Art Foundation (SAAF) Archive and from Patrick Young's expedition to the Buddhist temple in 1983. The slides depict general views of the temple and the complex from different directions. The collection also contains individual views of the reliefs on the balustrades and walls, as well as the stupas and the Buddhas.

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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 Palace Museum Archives Collection was part of a project from 1963 to 1964 to create and distribute a photographic record of the holdings of the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. The archive is composed of three primary collections, the National Palace Museum (NPMT), the Chinese Art Treasures (CAT), and Chien-Mu, and contains the negatives and master file prints of all the photographs taken throughout the project.

The Palace Museum Archives Collection was part of a project from 1963 to 1964 to create and distribute a photographic record of the National Palace Museum, Taiwan's holdings. The archive contains two main series, which reflect the two mediums of the collection, Negatives and Master Files. The Negatives were originally produced during the photograph reproduction project at NPMT, while the Master Files are the black and white prints of the negatives. These series are further divided by the three main collections that make up the PMA, the National Palace Museum (NPMT), the Chinese Art Treasures (CAT), and the Chien-Mu. The photographs and negatives within these collections are then arranged by the dynasty during which the original artwork was created and finally by the medium.

The NPMT and CAT both contain paintings, various albums, and various medias. The Painting series contains handscrolls, hanging scrolls, calligraphy, and portraits. The portraits contain approximately 79 portraits of various emperors of China. For many of them, the artist and the dynasty they were commissioned during are unknown. Several of the earliest paintings depict mythical emperors or subjects who did not have portraits painted of them during their lifetimes. The Various Albums contains approximately 42 multi-leaf painting albums and they contain various artists, subjects, and dynasties. The Various Medias series contains photographs of objects made from bronze, ceramic, fa-lang, ink stone, ink sticks, jade, k'ossu, lacquer, silver, or wood. The Chien-Mu collection only contains handscrolls, hanging scrolls, and various albums and these items are generally understood to be lesser or more unreliable in terms of authenticity than those found in the NPMT or CAT.

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