Near-infrared imaging of gigahertz peaked spectrum, compact steep spectrum, and large-scale FR II radio galaxies

In this paper we present the data from our J-, H-, and K-band imaging progr am of powerful radio sources. The sample consists of radio galaxies classif ied as either compact (<1 kpc), intermediate sized (1-20 kpc), or large-sca le classical double (>20 kpc) radio sources. Source images, photometry resu lts, radial profiles, and profile fits are presented. Source decomposition of total flux into point-spread function (PSF) and extended contributions i ndicate all sources are nucleated to roughly the same level at J, H, and K bands, arguing against the notion that the suspected higher nuclear absorpt ion in the most compact class would render those sources relatively more nu cleated at the longer wavelengths. No significant differences in near-IR ho st galaxy properties have been found. In a companion paper we discuss color -color properties, comparisons with predictions made by a stellar synthesis code, and near-IR broadband spectral properties.