Getty Research Institute Study Photographs of Ancient Minor Arts Objects, 1900s

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Summary

Title:
Study photographs of ancient minor arts objects
Dates:
1900s
Creators:
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Serafis, Emile, Hutzel, Max, Goldscheider, Ludwig, 1896-1973, Frantz, Alison, Bini, Barbara, Becatti, Giovanni, 1912-1973, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Getty Research Institute
Abstract:
A collection of modern photographs assembled by the Getty Research Institute of ancient works of the minor arts, chiefly from the Greek and Roman periods, Greek Archaic through the late Roman Empire (6th century BC-6th century AD). Object types include: arms and armor, athletic equipment, furniture, jewelry, lamps, loomweights, masks, mirrors, models, molds, musical instruments, ornaments and appliqués, scales and weights, seals and stamps, textiles, toys, utilitarian objects, vessels, and votive objects.
Extent:
36.4 Linear Feet (174 boxes)
Language:
English .

Background

Scope and content:

An assembled collection of modern photographs of ancient works of the minor arts, chiefly from the Greek and Roman periods, Greek Archaic through the late Roman Empire (6th century BC-6th century AD). Object types include: arms and armor, athletic equipment, furniture, jewelry, lamps, loomweights, masks, mirrors, models, molds, musical instruments, ornaments and appliqués, scales and weights, seals and stamps, textiles, toys, utilitarian objects, vessels, and votive objects.

The collection contains photographs from numerous sources, including commercial vendors and photographers, museum collections, auction houses, research institutions' archives, and scholars' archives and collections. Of particular importance are the photographs reproducing the contents of the James Tassie collection of casts of ancient gems at the Victoria and Albert Museum. One of the few sets of photographs documenting this collection, this corpus is important for the study of ancient gems, the history of gem collecting, iconographic sources of neoclassical images, and the formation of 18th century taste.

Significant scholars' archives contained in the collection include those of Giovanni Becatti and Ludwig Goldscheider. In addition, the collection contains selected prints of objects found in excavations carried out by Bryn Mawr College at Murlo, Italy; other photos were acquired from the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Among commercial vendors and photographers, the most important sources are Alinari (including the Anderson and Brogi archives), Bildarchiv Foto Marburg, Bulloz, Christie's, Photographie Giraudon, Hirmer Verlag, Sotheby's, Max Hutzel, Barbara Bini, Alison Frantz, and Emile Serafis.

Biographical / historical:

In 1974, the J. Paul Getty Museum began assembling a "photo library" by consolidating the visual resources of each existing curatorial department. By the early 1980s, the Photo Archive was actively acquiring large collections of photographs from commercial and private sources and scholars' archives that contained a photographic component. In 1983, the nearly one million photographs of the Photo Archive were incorporated into the Research Institute's Special Collections.

Processing information:

Finding aid created in 2009.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically by object type, form, culture, and location (city, museum).

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Ann Harrison
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-10-24 13:28:26 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers. For further information, consult the Guide to the Photo Archive and Database.

Terms of access:

Photographs and permission to publish must be obtained from copyright holder(s). For further information, contact Library Reproductions and Permissions.

Location of this collection:
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1688, US
Contact:
(310) 440-7390
Website