FONDS
The collection of fonds includes some 40 archives, fonds and large ensembles of Belgian photographers and companies from the 19th century to the present day. All in all, these photographic and paper archives comprise almost 3 million items. This makes it the largest collection of the FOMU in terms of size. The collection provides a good overview of photographic practice in Belgium, because it involves fonds from both professional and amateur photographers. Its content, size and nationality distinguish it from other collections in Belgium and abroad.
The collection took shape through donations, long-term loans and purchases. The most extensive fonds include the photo archives of Belgian photographer Herman Selleslags and his father Rik Selleslags, which the FOMU has received on permanent loan. Examples of some other fonds are those of Willy Kessels, Suzy Embo, Paule Pia, Frank Philippi, Patrick De Spiegelaere and Filip Tas.
In 2017, FOMU receives the historical Agfa-Gevaert collection, a unique piece of industrial heritage that has played a major role on the world stage of the analogue photo industry. Due to the enormous size and diversity of the archive, FOMU choses to make the archive accessible piece by piece. The Gevaert Paper Project starts in 2020, focusing on photo papers, photo packaging and documentation.
![RS11694 P 2012 0047 Tas Filip scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/39481/RS11694_P_2012_0047_Tas_Filip-scr_7e31797f26b156abb5d90e2537be4daa.jpg)
Filip J. Tas, Self-portrait with rolleiflex in a convex mirror, circa 1960-1965, Collection FOMU © Filip J. Tas/SABAM
![Herman Selleslags Tom Waits hotel001](/uploads/resized/uploads/39479/HermanSelleslags_TomWaits-hotel001_005f3597aa6e056d1e0e902fb291ba48.jpg)
Herman Selleslags, Tom Waits, Brussels, 1968, Collection FOMU, © Herman Selleslags/SOFAM
![Agfa Gevaert 2 MB](/uploads/resized/uploads/39478/AgfaGevaert_2MB_d50f45eeef23ee49333de1b63bc55be6.jpg)
Photo collage of the Gevaert factory used for an advertisement in Gevaert Photo-Service, Collection FOMU © Agfa-Gevaert
Suzy Embo, Jam Sessions, La Bosse, 1969, Collection FOMU, P/1996/14, © Suzy Embo/FOMU
![RS13098 P 2013 0062 Kessels Willy scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/39482/RS13098_P_2013_0062_Kessels_Willy-scr_19c7e1fc468b2ebc7a992840d92a304e.jpg)
Willy Kessels, publicité par photo, Willy Kessels, 1929, Collection FOMU, P/2013/62, © Willy Kessels/SOFAM
![RS11363 P 2005 0016 0010 De Spiegelaere Patrick scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/559657/RS11363_P_2005_0016_0010_De_Spiegelaere_Patrick-scr_3b264f1dc8b5a691251f3059dac430d4.jpg)
Patrick De Spiegelaere, Night vigil of scouts at the Royal Palace in Brussels after the death of King Baudouin, who died on July 31, 1993, Collection FOMU, P/2005/16/10, © Patrick De Spiegelaere/SOFAM
![RS12743 P 2012 0590 0232 d Haen Gilbert scr 1](/uploads/resized/uploads/560201/RS12743_P_2012_0590_0232_d_Haen_Gilbert-scr-1_aa06a1e035e30c5c2b0689e7baa63c9b.jpg)
Gilbert d'Haen, Fashion photo, 1965, Collection FOMU, P/2012/590/232, © Gilbert d'Haen
![RS11016 P 2011 0183 Philippi Frank scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/560586/RS11016_P_2011_0183_Philippi_Frank-scr_4df30100e8b5b382d414824adda4a125.jpg)
Frank Philippi, Louis Armstrong in the backstage of the Ancienne Belgique in Antwerp, Collection FOMU, P/2011/183, © Frank Philippi/SABAM
Longinus De Munter, Resignation to the hard fate, Collection FOMU, P/1990/93, © Longinus De Munter
![Gevaert expo](/uploads/resized/uploads/734098/Gevaert_expo_556b2a03c3eb1c15eb30098f3ef4fe43.jpg)
Poster from 1958 for Gevacolor (Photoproducten Gevaert N.V., Antwerp-Mortsel), 1958, Collection FOMU, P/2012/316
![Selleslags Titanic](/uploads/resized/uploads/734595/Selleslags_Titanic_128879956316f939bbd20728635834fc.jpg)
Rik Selleslags, Survivors from the "Titanic", Collection FOMU, 2018/45/144/3, © Rik Selleslags
Filip J. Tas, Crossroad with bollards, road signs, Collection FOMU, P/1976/9/4, © Filip J. Tas / SABAM
![Modeopname Philippi Frank scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/735797/modeopname_Philippi_Frank-scr_4e9c443d17d26f02a2583564be93e16e.jpg)
Frank Philippi, Fashion shoot on location with a model (female), Brussels, 1963, Collection FOMU, P/2012/285, © Frank Philippi / SABAM
Herman Selleslags, Julien Schoenaerts, 1981, Collection FOMU, P/1988/152, © Herman Selleslags
![RS6452 P 1981 0159 Philippi Frank scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/1050796/RS6452_P_1981_0159_Philippi_Frank-scr_d6c38169b70f1881483988e391b6b7bb.jpg)
Frank Philippi, Studio portret of Jef Verheyen, Paul Ibou, Ivo Michiels and Frank Philippi, Brussels, 1972, Collection FOMU, P/1981/159, © Frank Philippi
![RS131433 001 GEV 0016 0044 img 001 lpr](/uploads/resized/uploads/890823/RS131433_001-GEV_0016_0044_img-001-lpr_a982002f7f1fd27ddefca17ad067dc2d.jpg)
Package for photographic paper “Gevaert 500 Postcards Vigorous, s.d., Collection FOMU, 1/GEV/16/44
![DCS7611](/uploads/resized/uploads/999832/DCS7611_0344dd9b26d46f5d8cf3f3fad5243c54.jpg)
The 'Fotokontrool' department responsible for the inspection of the manufactured photo paper, 1927, Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Historical Archive Agfa-Gevaert, D560B, Collection FOMU
![RS11833 P 2012 0149 0001 Philippi Frank scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/1057283/RS11833_P_2012_0149_0001_Philippi_Frank-scr_978d52ad9e3084a7347606931e4f9dd1.jpg)
Frank Philippi, Visitors with cameras at the 1958 World's Fair, Heizel, Brussels, 1958, Collection FOMU, P/2012/149/1 © Frank Philippi
![RS13110 P 2013 0075 Kessels Willy scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/1057890/RS13110_P_2013_0075_Kessels_Willy-scr_96dcde3926d892b24b0dff239068c7ed.jpg)
Willy Kessels, Fotogram, 1932, Collection FOMU, P/2013/75, © Willy Kessels / SOFAM
![Selfie Herman Selleslags New York 1971 low res](/uploads/resized/uploads/615006/SelfieHermanSelleslags_NewYork_1971-low-res_24d0b06cc46ad82b67721f527c6a095d.jpg)
Herman Selleslags, Selfie, New York, Times Square, 1971, Collection FOMU © Herman Selleslags
![RS222989 001 GEV Barnor 0017 daglichtruimte gevacolorschool](/uploads/resized/uploads/1094711/RS222989_001-GEV_Barnor_0017-daglichtruimte_gevacolorschool_7a8fd784b0d4922d717ac6bd62fccc4e.jpg)
Gevacolor school in Mortsel, around 1965, Historical collection Agfa-Gevaert, D144 C D, Collection FOMU
![RS169410 2022 0002 lichtreclame](/uploads/resized/uploads/1094435/RS169410_2022_0002-lichtreclame_5cfe5282f019f4e23f7f8f00032cfeb4.jpg)
Neonsign Gevacolor, 1960-1964, Collection FOMU, 2022/2, ©Gevaert
![RS11859 P 2012 0165 Philippi Frank scr](/uploads/resized/uploads/1148650/RS11859_P_2012_0165_Philippi_Frank_scr_dc94fbbee608c5df6a87a054ed6b0c25.jpg)
Frank Philippi, Traction-Avant, Austria, 1953, Collection FOMU, P/2012/165, © Frank Philippi
![RS8426 P 1996 0016 0034 Embo Suzy Dotremont](/uploads/resized/uploads/1151101/RS8426_P_1996_0016_0034_Embo_Suzy_Dotremont_61bb11b1ead5cc95495980abcea64679.jpg)
Suzy Embo, Dotremont with a cigarette in his nose, 1973, Collection FOMU, P/1996/16/34, © Suzy Embo/FOMU
![Gevaert](/uploads/resized/uploads/1152844/Gevaert_2024-03-06-120732_thyz_f284f000e701720e8167eb469a585478.jpg)
Presentation of the first papermaking in 1894 in Antwerp by Lieven Gevaert , together with his mother and aunt, Collection FOMU Historical collection Agfa-Gevaert, 001-GEV (D049)
![RS102238 P 1984 0176 0011 Paule Pia](/uploads/resized/uploads/1238216/RS102238_P_1984_0176_0011_PaulePia_e2f648ac6593bf030131ed195422b5b1.jpg)
Paule Pia, Budapest, a girl in love, 1984, Collection FOMU, P/1984/176/11, © Paule Pia
![RS129063 001 GEV 0014 0007 img 009 0001 hpr](/uploads/resized/uploads/1235412/RS129063_001-GEV_0014_0007_img-009_0001_hpr_96056c7c18956808685220f18192d782.jpg)
Historical Collection Agfa-Gevaert, Advertisement Gevaert photographic paper, Collection FOMU, 001-GEV_14_7