NEW YORK—The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation has bought the late photographer Harry Shunk’s archive as its first acquisition, reports the New York Times. The foundation acquired the archive in August at a public estate auction conducted by the public administrator of New York.

Shunk, who died in 2006 at 81, was known for photographing art by scores of modern and contemporary artists, including Yves Klein, Arman, Jean Tinguely, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Christo, creating extensive records of their work. He also photographed the artists themselves, spanning from the Belgian surrealist René Magritte to pop artist Roy Lichtenstein.

According to Artdaily.org, Dorothy Lichtenstein, the artist’s widow and president of the foundation, said, regarding the purchase: “Roy, given his characteristic modesty, would have preferred that his foundation not be only about him and his art.” She added, “We are delighted that we have now been able to acquire the Shunk archive and to keep it from being randomly dispersed.”

The foundation plans to organize and study the archive, making it available to qualified scholars, museums, researchers, critics, and publishers. It will eventually release the works to a museum, promised Jack Cowart, the director of the foundation.