Maximilian van Berchem (1863–1921) was a passionate Orientalist, specialist in Islamic archaeology and photographer. Between 1886 and 1921 he travelled to Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Turkey to carry out research. At the turn of the 20th century, he also photographed buildings of art-historical importance in Switzerland.
© gemeinfrei
Content and scope
- Pictures of towns, villages and buildings of importance to architectural history (residential buildings, farmhouses, castles, churches, monasteries, bridges) in the period 1898 to 1907
- Details and general views
- 1,308 vintage prints on paper
- 1,344 glass negatives
Collection principles
- Max van Berchem was a member of the Swiss Society for the Preservation of Historic Art Monuments, a predecessor of the Federal Archives of Historic Monuments (FAHM).
- Following his death in 1921, his photo collection therefore passed to the FAHM under the terms of his will.
Research and access
- The Max van Berchem photo collection can be consulted online in the HelveticArchives database using a full text search and the search term “van Berchem”.
- High-resolution images are freely available on Wikimedia Commons.
- The originals can be viewed in the Prints and Drawings Department by prior appointment.
Fondation Max van Berchem, Geneva
The Max van Berchem Foundation was established in 1973 in honour of the founding scholar of the discipline of Arabic epigraphy. The foundation finances archaeological excavations, architectural research projects and studies in Islamic art.
Last modification 31.05.2022
Contact
Swiss National Library
Prints and Drawings Department
Hallwylstrasse 15
3003
Bern
Switzerland
Phone
+41 58 462 89 71