Once upon a time (not so very long ago), Harriet Bridgeman came up with a brilliant idea... how we began, who we are and why we do it
The Bridgeman Art Library represents thousands of image suppliers, including artists, museums, galleries, libraries, institutions, universities, stately homes, auctioneers, photographers, picture libraries and private collections. Read more
Everything you need to know about the world's top image library for art, culture and history. Quite simply, Bridgeman has the largest and most diverse archive of images in the world. Browse our categories and see for yourself Read more
Artists' Collecting Society (ACS) was established as a collecting society in June 2006 to collect Artist's Resale Right (Droit de Suite) on behalf of member artists in the UK and overseas Read more
How we do this
Who benefits?
How it works
We are involved at every stage so that we can achieve our ambition to make the best of the world’s art available for reproduction. We also lobby for legislation on behalf of rights owners and licensees to make the process even more efficient.
1972: a great idea for an agency Harriet Bridgeman hits upon the idea for a central source of fine art imagery while working as an editor of illustrated art books. The Bridgeman Art Library is formed.
The 70s and 80s: word spreads Initially the company collaborates with fine art photographers A.C. Cooper to create transparencies of works of art. Harriet Bridgeman runs the company from the basement of her home in London's Notting Hill; word spreads and both the archive and client bases grow rapidly.
1992: going digital By the early 90s, work has begun on a digital database of every image in the collection. 1996 sees Bridgeman specialists team up with scientists to develop ways of making images more accessible.
1999: Bridgeman goes online Bridgeman's first fully searchable website launches in April 1999 and is now regarded as one of the web's most significant cultural resources, providing content for the Grove Macmillan Dictionary of Art Online and ArtWeb, an online gateway to museum collections built in collaboration with Réunion des Musées Nationaux.
2000: London, New York, Paris - and Berlin 1995 sees the London office move to large premises in Bayswater. 1997, and the New York office opens alongside the Bridgeman Art Library Copyright Service. 2000 marks the inauguration of the Paris office; by 2001, the Paris office is renamed Bridgeman Giraudon following the acquisition of the prestigious French Giraudon picture archive. In 2004, the Berlin office opens, quickly acquiring images from many important German state museums and collections.
2007: Changes at the Top Pandora Mather Lees and Victoria Bridgeman are made joint UK Managing Directors. Edward Whitley, manager of Bridgeman's New York office, becomes President of Bridgeman Art Library International. All three have also been made Company directors, while Harriet Bridgeman is made Executive Chairman, taking more of a supervisory role, with the three new directors jointly running the company and reporting to her.
