ETH Library’s Image Archive
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into ETH Library. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2018. |
| Image Archive of ETH Library | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Established | 2000 |
| Collection | |
| Size | ca. 3,2 millions images |
| Other information | |
| Website | ETH Library’s Image Archive |
The Image Archive of ETH Library safeguards, indexes and mediates the library’s image holdings. Its nationally and internationally significant image holdings document the development ETH Zurich, research expeditions to far-off lands, settlement development and changes in society, politics and technology in Switzerland. ETH Library’s Image Archive was launched in 2000 as an ETH Library organisational unit. However, it curates a large number of image holdings that have been taken over by the library in recent decades, such as within the scope of academic legacies.
Content-related focuses
On the one hand, ETH Library’s Image Archive includes image holdings with a direct relation to the history of ETH Zurich and its architectural and staff development. In particular, this includes:
- scenes (from around 1860 onwards): historical photographs of buildings, institutes, lecture theatres and laboratories at ETH Zurich
- portraits: portraits of former members and students of ETH Zurich and notable scientists
- photograph collections from institutes at ETH Zurich: e.g. Geobotanical Institute/Rübel Foundation, Geological Institute, Institute of Aerodynamics, Institute of Building Conservation (Georg Mörsch) or the Photographic Institute
- photographs and drawings from the personal papers of former professors at ETH Zurich: e.g. Albert Frey-Wyssling, Immanuel Friedlaender, Albert Heim, Arnold Heim, Robert Maillart, Leopold Ruzicka, Carl Schroeter, Leo Wehrli or Hans Leibundgut
On the other hand, the Image Archive has some sometimes very extensive image holdings bearing a broader relation to science and technology and topics such as civil aviation, landscape and settlement development, (industrial) architecture or nature photography:
- Foundation Luftbild Schweiz Archive (1918–2011): aerial photographs by Walter Mittelholzer from flights over Switzerland and to Persia, South Africa, Chad, Abyssinia, Svalbard or as the first to fly over Kilimanjaro, portrait and landscape shots of Switzerland, taken by the Swissair Photo AG
- Swissair Photo Archives (1931–2001): photographs and films on civil aviation, the aviation business and aircraft and destinations of the former Swiss airline Swissair
- Comet Photo AG Archive (1952–1999): media images on topics such as architecture, culture, nature, politics, prominence, sport, technology, transport with a relation to Switzerland
- Scenes (from around 1860 onwards): landscapes and views of locations (primarily Switzerland)
- Other private image holdings: Photo archive of the foundation Documenta Natura, photo archive of the Industriekultur Foundation of Dr Hans-Peter Bärtschi, aerial image archive of Air Color SA (Meyrin), nature photographs by Albert Krebs and orchid photographs by Hans R. Reinhard
The image materials serve as a primary information source and reference material for studies on image production and usage. Last but not least, the copies, negatives, glass slides and individual films also document the technical development of the image as a medium.
Searching / digital services
Searches and online access to the Image Archive’s digitized holdings via:
- E-Pics Bildarchiv Online
A growing number of sub-holdings are also available on Wikimedia Commons → Media Contributed by ETH-Bibliothek
Publications
In the series Image Worlds[1] (photographs from ETH Library’s Image Archive), the archive’s core holdings are presented thematically in texts and pictures.
External links
References
- ^ "Regina Wanger (2016): E-Periodica – Eine Plattform für digitalisierte Zeitschriften". Retrieved 31 January 2018.