Photographic material created by Roloff Beny during his career as a photographer of international acclaim. Encompasses a range of subject matter from his early trips to Europe in the late 1940s and early 1950s, to his later trips to 43 countries in search of material for his 16 photographic books.Also includes his selection of portraits, largely commissioned as commercial work by magazines during the period 1958-1965.
Series - Personal. This series includes portraits of Roloff Beny throughout his life and career, from his early days as an aspiring young artist to later success as a photographer of world reknown. Many locations are included in this series; Beny's homes in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge, Alberta, various apartments in New York and his Tiber Terrace penthouse in Rome, and various images captured on his travels. Also includes photos of his parents and his pet dogs, and many friends and acquaintances especially Peggy Guggenheim, his friemd and early sponsor of his career. "Sallie's Box" was the work of his assisstant preparing a scrapbook documenting his life and work. Furthermore this series contains images of his personal art collection subsequently donated to the University of Lethbridge.., Series - Commercial Work. Photograhic work published in magazines and commisssioned by international publishing companies., Series - Geographical. This series includes every country visited by Roloff Beny in his travels. Both Italy and India are organized by province and city or site alphabetically within this arrangement. All other countries are arranged alphabetically by place name. In all this series contains 43 countries., Series - People. Portraits by Roloff Beny, his subjects include his friends and acquaintances, many of his contemporaries figures and luminaries including ballet dancers, artists, authors, poets and actors.., Series - Projects. Material relating to the design and production of Roloff Beny's 16 books, including all plates arranged by their original number. Also included is material relating to publicity, book launching, launching parties and other assorted material., Series - Unrealised Projects. Material relating to projects conceived by Roloff Beny but never brought to fruition. The most extensive sub-series are his Visual Journeys designed by him in 3 volumes, "People", "Nature" and "Architecture". Also includes "Iran:Bazaar", "Egypt Book", "The Greek and Classical World", Jewels of Nature", "Gods and Prophets", "In the Footsteps of the Buddha"., Series - Exhibitions. Material relating to the design and layout of Roloff beny's exhibitions including publicity, launching parties and catalogues., Series - Posthumous. Includes material created by Roloff Beny but exhibited posthumously., Series - Miscellaneous.., Textual material comprising 22.010m was transferred to the Manuscript Divison. these records were arranged in 14 series in MG 31 D 241. The finding aid number is 2003.., The art material consists of drawings by Roloff Beny, illustrations for the publication Aegean Notebook and posters, mostly of Beny's work. There are also works by other artists which Beny collected: a card by Franco Costa; posters by Charles Pachter; Icelandic prints; and some folders from India..
