Disclosing Architecture
31 December 2018 - 30 December 2024
Photo collection
From family snapshots, holiday albums and pictures of study trips and construction sites, to the work of well-known (architectural) photographers such as Cas Oorthuys, Jan Versnel and Jaap d’Oliveira: the hundreds of thousands of photos from the National Collection – originating from the 700 or so architecture archives that the institute manages – were created, collected or commissioned by architects. They were used for reporting, as a means of communication, publication material or source of inspiration, or they were part of the design process. There are photos that have been drawn and written on, and photos that have been used in collages or design drawings. We see an equally wide variety of material: from slide to digital, from salt prints to modern colour prints, and from photos in top condition to those that are discoloured, torn, curled up, written on or pasted over.
Traces of use
All photo prints from the National Collection are conserved, registered, digitised and, in some cases, restored. Photos are sensitive to environmental factors such as light, temperature and humidity, and are therefore extremely fragile. While damage is usually irreversible, reducing physical use through digitisation and proper packing and storage can slow down the (chemical) ageing process. Various questions and dilemmas play a role in conservation. For example, how do we deal with photos that have been mounted on a panel together with other material, or with photos that show traces of previous restorations?
In het Nieuwe Instituut’s collection, traces of use on photos, such as stickers and notes, are a typical feature. These tell us something about the context in which the photo was created or collected by the archive creator, or about how it was used in architectural practice. You do not want to wipe away these traces, but they do impose specific requirements on conservation.
Value of the photo collection
This photo collection has now, for the first time, been mapped in a methodical manner, creating a clearer picture of the materials and techniques used, and once again confirming the enormous diversity in content and materials. The photo collection has long been seen as a secondary source, to support or illustrate design drawings or views; now, the value of the photos as a primary source and carrier of meaning is also becoming increasingly visible.
