Our Mission

Preserving the Legacy of Photographers and Their Work in Context

PhotoAnthology is an online encyclopedia and knowledge base dedicated to the art and history of photography. Our mission is to unify the fragmented narrative of photography by documenting significant projects, making them accessible to curators, researchers, and photographers.

Photography is celebrated as the most democratic visual art, yet paradoxically, access to its greatest works remains elusive. The PhotoAnthology Foundation was created to bridge this gap. Even in today's seemingly accessible digital world, important works are scattered across the web, locked in temporary exhibitions, or lost in rare, out-of-print books. As a result, the public often encounters photography in isolation and without context, missing the depth and intent that define the photographer's vision.

PhotoAnthology places metadata at the core of a rigorous, research-driven workflow. Every project is mapped with a structured taxonomy—themes, genres, techniques, periods, locations, influences, and related publications—so that explicit links emerge across the archive. These connections reveal lineages, conversations, and departures between bodies of work, turning the platform into a navigable cartography of photographic history. We do not arbitrate merit; we surface projects already validated by exhibitions, publications, or awards. In partnership with leading institutions (see our Partners page), we present a richly interconnected, interactive curatorial experience online.