Photoarchive Acquisition Agents

  • Black and white phtoograph from 1960. A mature woman wearing a dress is standing on cobblestone path in a French courtyard.

    Clotilde Brière-Mismé, a librarian at the Bibliothèque d’art et d’archéologie de l’Université de Paris, was one of the first hires of Miss Frick and the Library in 1921. Originally engaged to obtain monographs, exhibition catalogues and auction sales catalogues for the Library, she added photographs to her remit in 1925. From 1925 to 1952 she acquired over 55,000 photographs of works in France and the Netherlands, many taken by the photographer, Jacques Bulloz. These photographs depict many types of works of art, including illuminated manuscripts and enamels. In particular she was instrumental in purchasing, through the art historian Henri Focillon, a large number of photographs of frescoes in French churches. Her tireless efforts on behalf of the Library are commemorated on a plaque in the Library’s Reading Room. Mme. Brière’s work was continued from 1957 to 1960 by Mlle. Dons, who acquired an additional 2,104 photographs for the Library. [1925-1952, 55,846 photographs and 2,104 from Mlle Dons].

  • Through Dr. Walter W.S. Cook, a professor of Spanish Art at New York University and the founding director of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, the Library collected over 10,000 photographs of Spanish art from the Arxiu d’Arqueologia Catalana in Vich, Spain, and over 28,000 photographs from Archivo MAS and Foto Gudiol. Dr. Cook was also responsible for the acquisition of more than 3,000 photographs from the Photo Club, Burgos, and 150 prints of rare works photographed by J.J. Tous, Palma de Mallorca. Dr. Cook provided the impetus for the Library’s collecting of photographs of illuminated manuscripts and acquired over 7,000 of these for the Library. In 1945, through H.E. Wethey, of the American Embassy, Lima, he acquired approximately 400 photographs of paintings from Cuzco and Lima. [1932-1941, over 48,550 photographs including over 7,000 illuminated manuscripts].
  • Umberto Gnoli, a scholar of Umbrian painting, worked as an agent from 1927 to 1930 and acquired over 9,000 photographs for the Library. In addition to photographs of Umbrian paintings, he collected photographs of works of art from Rome, Naples and the Marches. Through Count Gnoli, the Frick Library was able to obtain photographs of paintings and sculpture in the interior of Italian churches, many of which were reproduced for the first time, as well as almost 500 photographs of mosaics. His annotations on many of the photographs have proved useful to cataloguers and scholars for attribution purposes. [1927-1930, 9225 photographs].
  • José Gudiol, scholar in the field of Spanish art, former director of the Arxiu d’Arqueologia Catalana, and founder of the Instituto Amattler de Arte Hispánica contributed greatly to the Library’s collection of photographs of Spanish paintings, sculpture and architecture. From 1939 to 1948, he obtained over 4,000 photographs for the Library, including 764 Archivo MAS photographs. Many of the photographs he provided filled gaps in the Library’s collection either in undocumented areas of Spain or by replacing poor or damaged photographs. Many of the photographs obtained through W.W.S. Cook originated from Gudiol. [1939-1948, 4,066 photographs].
  • Through Millard Meiss of Columbia University the Library enlarged its collection of Medieval manuscripts. Between 1932 and 1938, he acquired over 100 photographs for the Library, over half of which were of manuscripts. Additionally in 1976 the Library acquired as a gift over 5,700 photographs from his widow. [1932-1938, 108 photographs including 56 Library negatives and 67 illuminated manuscripts, over 300 through gift or exchange, gift of over 5,700 from his widow in 1976].
  • Dr. Richard Offner of New York University was one of the foremost scholars of Florentine painting and author of the monumental work, A Critical and Historic Corpus of Florentine Painting. Working as an agent for the Library from 1925 to 1929, Dr. Offner acquired almost 3,000 photographs of Florentine works of art. He worked with several photographers including D. Anderson, Nicolò Cipriani and Giacomo Brogi, who was the first photographer to successfully light the interior of dim churches. Brogi’s innovative photographs provided the Library with the first images of previously unpublished works. Dr. Offner also worked with contacts in Germany to provide photographs of Italian paintings in German public and private collections. [1925-1929, 2932 photographs including 652 Library negatives].
  • Black and white photograph from 1938. A boy standing on a ladder in front of a car and building. A camera is on a tall tripod in the foreground.

    Mario Sansoni originally worked as a member of the photographic firm of Sansoni and Nesti under the direction of Library agents Perkins and Offner. Upon leaving the firm, Sansoni went to work as an agent for the Library and proved very useful in working with local photographers. He worked throughout Italy from 1930 to 1969 and helped to greatly expand the collection, acquiring over 35,000 photographs including close to 9,000 Library negatives which are available on ARTstor. In addition to photographs from public and private collections, Sansoni purchased prints from entire exhibitions, many of which did not have illustrated catalogues. Always seeking to expand the Library’s collection, Sansoni was planning a photographic trip in Hungary when it was unfortunately cancelled due to World War II. [1930-1969, 37,681 photographs including 8,847 Library negatives and 2,669 illustrated manuscripts].

  • L.D. (Lea Danesi) Tolnay worked as an agent for the Library on her travels throughout Europe from 1929-1956. She acquired for the Library almost 8,000 photographs of works of art throughout England, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. In addition to works of art in works in private collections, dealer and gallery collections and auction sales, Tolnay purchased photographs of paintings and sculptures in public buildings, that frequently illustrate the restoration or rediscovery of previously undocumented works. [1929-1956, 7,812 photographs including 234 Library negatives and 34 illustrated manuscripts].
  • Through F. Mason Perkins the Library acquired over 6,000 photographs of paintings, mainly from Siena and surrounding regions, but also from the rest of Italy and Spain. In 1924 he recommended the purchase of the Burton Archive, 679 negatives taken by Harry Burton of rare works of Italian art. Often Mr. Perkins, as well as Dr. Offner, would use Library photographs as the first published illustrations of works of art. [1924-1928, 6078 photographs including 679 Library negatives]. 
  • Black and white photograph from circa 1920. A mature man and woman standing in an alcove in front of shelves with archival boxes. The man is holding an open archival box.

    Sir Robert Witt, the primary inspiration for the Frick Library, also acted on behalf of the Library as an agent from 1929 to 1933. Through Sir Robert, the Library acquired over 5,400 photographs from public and private collections in England as well as from museums throughout Europe. He also obtained for the Library over 1,500 photographs from auction sales in London, often the only documentation of a work of art as it moved from one private collection to another. [1929-1933, 5,413 photographs].