Iconopôle

Due to the relocation of our collections, the consultation of archives and heritage objects is unavailable since March 1st 2024. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to us.

Iconopôle is in the process of producing inventories of its various sets and collections. These are gradually being published in the Patrinum database.

The latest items added can be viewed on this page.

Reproductions of items in the public domain are accessible from this page.

The Iconopôle curator is on hand to provide any information you may need.

The core of the history collection is the Collection iconographique vaudoise (CIV) and the Erik Nitsche collection, which brings together a set of original documents from the famous graphic artist from Lausanne (1908-1998).

The CIV, created in 1896 by the pastor Paul Vionnet and bequeathed to Vaud canton at the start of the 20th century, includes tens of thousands of phototypes (negatives, prints, albums, contact sheets and slides) linked to the iconography of Vaud canton (built heritage, movable items, renowed people, means of transport, etc.). It also reflects Swiss and foreign events (Fête des Vignerons, the Universal Exhibition of 1889, missions to Africa, etc.). It is unusual in the fact that it contains thousands of items using a wide range of techniques (drawings, engravings, reproductions of images, ephemeral printed materials, archives, etc.).

The collection is organised by them and is currently the subject of a campaign aiming to make it accessible to the public and researchers.

Iconopôle has quickly been enhanced with donations illustrating the canton’s intangible heritage (Claude Bornand collections), built heritage (Eugène Würgler / Maison de l’Élysée collection, 1922) or the life of a graphics studio over 60 years (Fonds Pizzotti, acquisition pending).