Harold Allen Egyptomania Collection

This wide-ranging collection of material records the development of the 19th- and 20th-century Egyptian Revival movement in the United States and Europe. Photographs and slides taken by Allen, a professional photographer, between 1946 and his death in 1998, document the use of Egyptian themes and motifs in such architectural forms as movie palaces, civic and academic buildings, Masonic buildings, and mausoleums. The collection also documents Egyptian themes in decorative arts and sculpture, including cemetery and public monuments, furniture, Wedgwood ceramics, and 19th-century American pressed glass. All images are accompanied by extensive research notes and bibliographies, when available. Also included is a varied collection of objects encompassing Egyptian motifs in 20th-century popular culture, such as greeting cards, toys and games, popular fiction, and kitchen and bed linens. A detailed clipping file tracks both scholarly advancement and popular cultures appropriation of Egyptian themes. View finding aid.View selected images from this collection. Collection access:Collections may be accessed in the Franke Reading Room of the Research Center at The Art Institute of Chicago, by appointment only. For further information, consult the FAQ. Finding aids by subjectBrowse all finding aidsBrowse images and mediaOral histories Contact the Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives:archives@artic.edu