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COLLECTION Identifier: fal00011

Thomas Jacoby photographs of Early Christian Churches of Syria

Overview

Photographic images of churches and Christian antiquities in Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Italy, and Turkey. Tom Jacoby's pictorial archive documents, in both black & white and color, an important stage in the history of Christian architecture. Syria's early Christian churches bear witness to a major cultural crossroads reflecting influences from the Roman basilica model to Eastern styles with the surmounting dome to temple architecture.

Dates

  • Creation: 1973-1976, bulk 1975

Physical Description

Image count is approximate.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use. Please contact Special Collections, Fine Arts Library, Harvard University.

Conditions Governing Use

Reproduction and/or publication of materials subject to copyright requires written permission from a) the copyright owner, his/her heirs or assigns and from b) the Fine Arts Library, owner of the original material.

Extent

4 cubic feet
3000 images

Views of early Christian churches, tombs, architectural details, mosaics and stuccos primarily from Syria (including Aleppo, Palmyra, and Damascus), but also from Egypt, Jordan, Italy, and Turkey. A majority of the images represent Kanīsat al-Qiddīs Sam‘ān al-‘Amūdī (the Church of St. Simeon Stylites). The collection comprises 2,325 black & white negatives, 365 internegatives, 1,960 individual images on contact sheets, ca. 1,500 reference prints, ca. 800 color slides (mounted and unmounted), and 2 large architectural plans.

Biographical / Historical

Jacoby made these photographs from 1973 to 1976 in preparation for his dissertation as a doctoral candidate at UCLA.

Arrangement

Arranged in 4 series, which have been further arranged in subseries. Series consisting of individual images are in order by year, roll number, and frame number, except that mounted color slides of Kanīsat al-Qiddīs Sam‘ān al-‘Amūdī are numbered in a continuous sequence; series consisting of grouped images are arranged by year and roll number.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Acquired from Thomas Jacoby, Princeton, NJ, in October 2003, and received in a number of installments from 2003 through 2007.

Existence and Location of Copies

Selected photographs from the Jacoby archive were printed and incorporated into the Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Trustees for Harvard University.

Related Materials

Powell, Josephine, 1919-2007. Josephine Powell photographic archive (in the Visual Collections of the Fine Arts Library, Harvard University).

Processing Information

All material rehoused by Naomi Kaim for the Fine Arts Library.

Title
Thomas Jacoby photographs of Early Christian Churches of Syria: Finding Aid
Author
Fine Arts Library, Harvard Library
Language of description
und
EAD ID
fal00011

Repository Details

Part of the Fine Arts Library Repository

The Fine Arts Library is among the leading libraries in the world for the study of art, architecture, and visual culture from antiquity to the present. Since 1895, FAL has served the needs of the visual arts community at Harvard, providing research and curricular support for all areas in the history of art, architecture, photography, and the decorative arts. FAL's archival collections may be consulted in the Special Collections Study Room by appointment only.

Contact:
Littauer Center
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Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-4656