Image Collections
The Library’s department of image collections is a study and research center predominantly for photographic images of Western art and architecture.
Our department of image collections is one of the largest of its kind. Areas of particular strength include American, Dutch, French, and Italian art, the arts of Asia, and the architecture of France, Italy, and Germany.
Our image collections include more than 16 million photographs, slides, negatives, microforms, and digital images. The department serves a national and international audience that includes the National Gallery’s staff, members of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, scholars, and other interested researchers.
Core Collections
These groups, because of their size or scope, make up the foundation of the photographic collections. Gifts are noted with an asterisk.
Rare Collections
The library’s image collections includes rare materials, such as photographic albums, photographs of artists, and reproductive prints.
Collections from Scholars
The department of image collections has been fortunate to acquire the photographic research collections of many art historians affiliated with the National Gallery of Art and the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts.
International Expositions
The department of image collections maintains a large collection of photographs, albums, and postcard booklets from national and international expositions and fairs.
Photographs of Artists
Thanks to the acquisition of personal archives, French Salon catalogues, judicious purchases, and donations from artists and their estates, the library’s department of image collections has assembled a significant collection of these photographs.
Art Dealers' Archives
Acquiring the photographic collections of commercial dealers extends the scope of the department of image collections to include lesser-known artists and works of art.
Collections from Photographers
The library's image collections include photographs by thousands of photographers, from anonymous cameramen to well-known art photographers.