The RIC stands in solidarity with all those speaking out against systemic racism. Read a message from our Director.

Skip Navigation

More Collection highlights

The RIC's collection includes nearly 375,000 objects that span the history of the medium of photography. These selected highlights feature just a few of the varied works represented in our expansive and growing collection.

Previous collection

An old photo of a man slouched in a chair. — Fig. 1
Hippolyte Bayard (French, 1801–1887), Portrait d’Homme, Edition des Calotypes Originaux D’Hippolyte Bayard, ca. 1845, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1979 (FP.1980.0010)

A photo of an old stone gateway. — Fig. 2
Francis Frith (British, 1822–1898), Pylon Gateway at Medinet – Habou, ca. 1862, albumen print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1984 (FP.1984.0013)

An abstract portrait of a man. — Fig. 3
Maurice Tabard (French, 1897–1984), Parry, 1929, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mira Godard, 1994 (FP.1994.0023)

Fig. 4
Stephen Livick (Canadian, b. 1945), Costume Hijra, 1987, gum bichromate print. Ryerson Image Centre, Anonymous gift, 1994 (FP.1994.0073)

A red coloured river of iron slag in Sudbury, Ontario. — Fig. 5
Edward Burtynsky (Canadian, b. 1955), Nickel Tailings #34, Sudbury, Ontario, 1996, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre. Gift of the Artist, 1999 (IA.1999.0063)

A red coloured river of iron slag in Sudbury, Ontario. — Fig. 6
Edward Burtynsky (Canadian, b. 1955), Nickel Tailings #35, Sudbury, Ontario, 1996, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 1999 (IA.1999.0064)

A stone formation in Chile. — Fig. 7
Elaine Ling (Canadian, born China, 1946–2016), Atacama Stones #1, 2001, selenium-toned gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2001 (IA.2001.0062)

A building at 103 Greene Street in New York City, taken in 1999. — Fig. 8
Volker Seding (Canadian, born Germany, 1943–2007), 103 Greene Street, N.Y.C., 1999, sepia-toned gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2001 (IA.2001.0083)

Left: An old man slouching in a chair next to a bureau with photos hung above. Right: Photo of the bureau with photos hung above. — Fig. 9
Gabor Szilasi (Canadian, born Hungary, 1928), left: Andor Pasztor, Montreal, 1996, selenium-toned gelatin silver print; right: His Room, Montreal, 2002, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2002 (IA.2002.0024)

Photo of a person floating in a thermal pool in Myvatn, Iceland. — Fig. 10
Ruth Kaplan (Canadian, b. 1955), Thermal Pool, Myvatn, Iceland, 2002, selenium-toned gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2003 (IA.2003.0032)

Photo of Fern Spring at dusk in Yosemite Valley, California taken by Ansel Adams in 1961. — Fig. 11
Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984), Fern Spring, Dusk, Yosemite Valley California, ca. 1961, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Don Dickinson, 2004 (IA.2004.0020)

Photo of a booth with a welcome sign. — Fig. 12
Phil Bergerson (Canadian, b. 1947), [Untitled], 1998, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2006 (IA.2006.0018)

Self-portrait by Andreas Feininger holding a magnifying glass in front of his eye. — Fig. 13
Andreas Feininger (American, born France, 1906–1999), [Self portrait], 1941, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Gertrud Feininger, 2009 (IA.2009.0009)

Photo of a woman laying on a pillow by Edward Steichen. — Fig. 14
Edward Steichen (American, 1879–1973), Cyclamen, Mrs. Philip Lydig. Plate from Camera Work XLII/XLIII, published 1913, photogravure on Japanese paper. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mark Wolfson, 2010 (IA.2010.0031)

Series of photos studying the movement of a man done by Eadweard J. Muybridge around 1872-1885. — Fig. 15
Eadweard J. Muybridge (American, 1830–1904), Movements, Male. Descending stairs full demijohn on shoulder, Plate 136 from Animal Locomotion 1872–1885, 1872–1885, collotype. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mark Wolfson, 2010 (IA.2010.0032)

Abstract photo of a woman's body done by Brassaï. — Fig. 16
Brassaï (Romanian, 1899–1984), III Odalisque, Transmutations par Brassai, 1930–1932, gelatin silver print cliches-verre. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mark Wolfson, 2010 (PA.1973.0111:008)

Photo of a beautiful staircase outside a building. — Fig. 17
Eugène Atget (French, 1857–1927), Grand Trianon, 1923–1924, dye-toned albumen print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1973 (PA.1973.0100)

Street life photo from Jerusalem done in 1967. — Fig. 18
Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908–2004), Israel, Jerusalem, 1967, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1970 (PA.1973.0116a)

Photo of marching men taken through car mirror in Stony Point, New York in 1966. — Fig. 19
Lee Friedlander (American, b. 1934), Stony Point, New York, 1966, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1973 (PA.1973.0142)

Cristo with thorns taken in Mexico in 1933 by Paul Strand. — Fig. 20
Paul Strand (American, 1890–1976), Cristo with Thorns, Huexolta, Mexico, 1933, printed 1967, photogravure. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1973 (PA.1973.0496:017)

Fig. 21
Ralph Eugene Meatyard (American, 1925–1972), Madonna, from Ralph Eugene Meatyard Portfolio Three, Center for Photographic Studies, 1964, printed 1974, gelatin silver print. Collection of the Ryerson Image Centre, Ryerson University (PA.1974.0553:0001)

Fig. 22
Ralph Eugene Meatyard (American, 1925–1972), Romance of Ambrose Bierce #3, from Ralph Eugene Meatyard Portfolio Three, Center for Photographic Studies, 1964, printed 1974, gelatin silver print. Collection of the Ryerson Image Centre, Ryerson University (PA.1974.0553:0004)

Abstract photo of two shells taken by Edward Weston. — Fig. 23
Edward Weston (American, 1886–1958), Two Shells, 1927, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Focus Museum of Photography, 1978 (PA.1978.0003)

Photo of a nun holding her hand to her mouth in surprise. — Fig. 24
W. Eugene Smith (American, 1918–1978), Waiting for Survivors: The Andrea Doria Sinking, July 25, 1956, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre (PA.1978.0006)

A dancer lounging on a couch. — Fig. 25
André Kertész (American, 1894–1985), Satiric Dancer, Paris, 1926, printed later, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1978 (PA.1978.0014)

Marble statues of a woman. — Fig. 26
Unknown photographer, [Marble statue of woman], ca. 1880, direct positive. Ryerson Image Centre, Dr. Martin J. Bass and Gail Silverman Bass Collection (RIC. 2014.1262)

Portraits of Lady L. Synge-Hutchison taken in 1851. — Fig. 27
Antoine Claudet (French, 1797–1867), Portrait of Lady L. Synge-Hutchison, ca. 1851, hand-coloured daguerreotype. Ryerson Image Centre, Dr. Martin J. Bass and Gall Silverman Bass Collection (RIC.2014.1263)

A very colourful empty room, lots of yellow, blue and orange — Fig. 28
Robert Burley (Canadian, b. 1957), Kodak Image Centre, Building 7, Kodak Canada, Toronto, 2006, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 2014 (RIC.2014.2018)

An old photo of a man slouched in a chair. — Fig. 1
Hippolyte Bayard (French, 1801–1887), Portrait d’Homme, Edition des Calotypes Originaux D’Hippolyte Bayard, ca. 1845, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1979 (FP.1980.0010)

A photo of an old stone gateway. — Fig. 2
Francis Frith (British, 1822–1898), Pylon Gateway at Medinet – Habou, ca. 1862, albumen print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1984 (FP.1984.0013)

An abstract portrait of a man. — Fig. 3
Maurice Tabard (French, 1897–1984), Parry, 1929, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mira Godard, 1994 (FP.1994.0023)

Fig. 4
Stephen Livick (Canadian, b. 1945), Costume Hijra, 1987, gum bichromate print. Ryerson Image Centre, Anonymous gift, 1994 (FP.1994.0073)

A red coloured river of iron slag in Sudbury, Ontario. — Fig. 5
Edward Burtynsky (Canadian, b. 1955), Nickel Tailings #34, Sudbury, Ontario, 1996, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre. Gift of the Artist, 1999 (IA.1999.0063)

A red coloured river of iron slag in Sudbury, Ontario. — Fig. 6
Edward Burtynsky (Canadian, b. 1955), Nickel Tailings #35, Sudbury, Ontario, 1996, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 1999 (IA.1999.0064)

A stone formation in Chile. — Fig. 7
Elaine Ling (Canadian, born China, 1946–2016), Atacama Stones #1, 2001, selenium-toned gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2001 (IA.2001.0062)

A building at 103 Greene Street in New York City, taken in 1999. — Fig. 8
Volker Seding (Canadian, born Germany, 1943–2007), 103 Greene Street, N.Y.C., 1999, sepia-toned gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2001 (IA.2001.0083)

Left: An old man slouching in a chair next to a bureau with photos hung above. Right: Photo of the bureau with photos hung above. — Fig. 9
Gabor Szilasi (Canadian, born Hungary, 1928), left: Andor Pasztor, Montreal, 1996, selenium-toned gelatin silver print; right: His Room, Montreal, 2002, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2002 (IA.2002.0024)

Photo of a person floating in a thermal pool in Myvatn, Iceland. — Fig. 10
Ruth Kaplan (Canadian, b. 1955), Thermal Pool, Myvatn, Iceland, 2002, selenium-toned gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2003 (IA.2003.0032)

Photo of Fern Spring at dusk in Yosemite Valley, California taken by Ansel Adams in 1961. — Fig. 11
Ansel Adams (American, 1902–1984), Fern Spring, Dusk, Yosemite Valley California, ca. 1961, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Don Dickinson, 2004 (IA.2004.0020)

Photo of a booth with a welcome sign. — Fig. 12
Phil Bergerson (Canadian, b. 1947), [Untitled], 1998, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Artist, 2006 (IA.2006.0018)

Self-portrait by Andreas Feininger holding a magnifying glass in front of his eye. — Fig. 13
Andreas Feininger (American, born France, 1906–1999), [Self portrait], 1941, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Gertrud Feininger, 2009 (IA.2009.0009)

Photo of a woman laying on a pillow by Edward Steichen. — Fig. 14
Edward Steichen (American, 1879–1973), Cyclamen, Mrs. Philip Lydig. Plate from Camera Work XLII/XLIII, published 1913, photogravure on Japanese paper. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mark Wolfson, 2010 (IA.2010.0031)

Series of photos studying the movement of a man done by Eadweard J. Muybridge around 1872-1885. — Fig. 15
Eadweard J. Muybridge (American, 1830–1904), Movements, Male. Descending stairs full demijohn on shoulder, Plate 136 from Animal Locomotion 1872–1885, 1872–1885, collotype. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mark Wolfson, 2010 (IA.2010.0032)

Abstract photo of a woman's body done by Brassaï. — Fig. 16
Brassaï (Romanian, 1899–1984), III Odalisque, Transmutations par Brassai, 1930–1932, gelatin silver print cliches-verre. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of Mark Wolfson, 2010 (PA.1973.0111:008)

Photo of a beautiful staircase outside a building. — Fig. 17
Eugène Atget (French, 1857–1927), Grand Trianon, 1923–1924, dye-toned albumen print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1973 (PA.1973.0100)

Street life photo from Jerusalem done in 1967. — Fig. 18
Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908–2004), Israel, Jerusalem, 1967, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1970 (PA.1973.0116a)

Photo of marching men taken through car mirror in Stony Point, New York in 1966. — Fig. 19
Lee Friedlander (American, b. 1934), Stony Point, New York, 1966, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1973 (PA.1973.0142)

Cristo with thorns taken in Mexico in 1933 by Paul Strand. — Fig. 20
Paul Strand (American, 1890–1976), Cristo with Thorns, Huexolta, Mexico, 1933, printed 1967, photogravure. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1973 (PA.1973.0496:017)

Fig. 21
Ralph Eugene Meatyard (American, 1925–1972), Madonna, from Ralph Eugene Meatyard Portfolio Three, Center for Photographic Studies, 1964, printed 1974, gelatin silver print. Collection of the Ryerson Image Centre, Ryerson University (PA.1974.0553:0001)

Fig. 22
Ralph Eugene Meatyard (American, 1925–1972), Romance of Ambrose Bierce #3, from Ralph Eugene Meatyard Portfolio Three, Center for Photographic Studies, 1964, printed 1974, gelatin silver print. Collection of the Ryerson Image Centre, Ryerson University (PA.1974.0553:0004)

Abstract photo of two shells taken by Edward Weston. — Fig. 23
Edward Weston (American, 1886–1958), Two Shells, 1927, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Gift of the Focus Museum of Photography, 1978 (PA.1978.0003)

Photo of a nun holding her hand to her mouth in surprise. — Fig. 24
W. Eugene Smith (American, 1918–1978), Waiting for Survivors: The Andrea Doria Sinking, July 25, 1956, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre (PA.1978.0006)

A dancer lounging on a couch. — Fig. 25
André Kertész (American, 1894–1985), Satiric Dancer, Paris, 1926, printed later, gelatin silver print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 1978 (PA.1978.0014)

Marble statues of a woman. — Fig. 26
Unknown photographer, [Marble statue of woman], ca. 1880, direct positive. Ryerson Image Centre, Dr. Martin J. Bass and Gail Silverman Bass Collection (RIC. 2014.1262)

Portraits of Lady L. Synge-Hutchison taken in 1851. — Fig. 27
Antoine Claudet (French, 1797–1867), Portrait of Lady L. Synge-Hutchison, ca. 1851, hand-coloured daguerreotype. Ryerson Image Centre, Dr. Martin J. Bass and Gall Silverman Bass Collection (RIC.2014.1263)

A very colourful empty room, lots of yellow, blue and orange — Fig. 28
Robert Burley (Canadian, b. 1957), Kodak Image Centre, Building 7, Kodak Canada, Toronto, 2006, chromogenic colour print. Ryerson Image Centre, Purchase, 2014 (RIC.2014.2018)