A Guide to the Matthew Naythons Photographic Archive, ca. 1972-2009

Creator Sketch

Since 1972, Matthew Naythons pursued two distinct professions: medicine and photography. Moreover, Naythons developed his skills in both areas in a way that allowed him to combine the two pursuits at a later date. After obtaining his medical degree from Hahnemann University in 1972, he began working on a month-by-month basis in an emergency room, a schedule that allowed him to take on freelance photojournalism assignments. During those years, he documented many international events for various publications such as Time, National Geographic, Newsweek, Life, the Sunday Times of London, and Stern.

After building up considerable experience in both professions for nearly a decade and a half, Naythons turned his attention in the late 1980s to his newly founded company, RxMedia Group, and a new book project, The Power to Heal. In 1991, Naythons renamed his company Epicenter Communications, and has since produced many more photography-based book projects. Naythons has also incorporated digital technology into his ventures, including The Multimedia Home Companion and his involvement in the seminal Internet health companies, NetHealth and NetMed.

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Scope and Content

This archive consists of materials from both Naythons’ photojournalistic days (1972-86) and his later work as a publisher/producer (1986-present), and includes negatives (1,000), transparencies (6,800, in both black and white, and color), photographic prints (3,200), contact sheets, correspondence with and biographical profiles of photographers, copyright documentation (including model releases), proofs for publications, manuscripts, business records and digital files on floppy disks, CDs, DVDs and hard drives. Naythons’ own photographic work documents the fall of Saigon, the Yom Kippur War, the Nicaraguan revolution, and the aftermath of the Jonestown massacre, among other turbulent political events of the late 1970s. His production work documents different medical cultures around the world (and other cultural differences worldwide), medical dilemmas in times of war, Naythons’ collaboration with PF Bentley on the latter’s book on President Clinton’s 1992 campaign, educational techniques, and religious mission work. The business files for such book projects as The Power to Heal, The Face of Mercy, Sarajevo: A Portrait of Siege, and Christmas Around the World also present a detailed and extensive record of the complexities and challenges involved in their creation. More recent publications for which documentation is present include A Day in the Life of the United States Armed Forces. and A Day in the Life of the American Woman. Also included are exhibit prints from the book, Barack Obama: the Official Inaugural Book.

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Restrictions

Access to transparent media, CDs, DVDs and hard drives is restricted. Copyright restrictions apply. Contact repository for further information.A portion of this collection is stored remotely. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact repository for retrieval.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Matthew Naythons Photographic Archive, ca. 1972-2009, The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s "History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light" project, 2009-2011.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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