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Two Seated Women

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 17.9 cm. x 11.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880-1900
Scope and Contents:
"Two women are seated on the either sides of a Kursi, the heated low table. While the figure on the right looks away from the camera, the one on the left engages the gaze of the viewer and the lens. Both women have faint traces of smiles, adding to the intimacy of the scene, which is unlike the studio settings of harem women in Sevruguin's collection." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "438) Under a kursi." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 13.438: Two women under a kursi." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 13."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.13.08
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Women  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.13.08
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc394b2b346-10d5-4346-a027-1e24deaea604
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10070

Studio Portrait: Nomad Women

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 12.7 cm. x 17.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s
Scope and Contents:
"The image is a copy print." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "919."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "517) Zoroastrian women." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 23.9: Zoroastrian women (# 517)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 23."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.23.09
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Clothing and dress  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Women  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Studio portraits
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.23.09
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3e2ccc510-a854-4034-9891-1cb463d0886f
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10165

Tehran (Iran): Royal Puppet Show

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 17.9 cm. x 12.8 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
"The show was usually accompanied by men in foreground playing musical instruments. The man sitting on the left side of the image and close to the scene is called Murshid. He is the one who speaks with the puppets and guides the play. The small carpet on top of the scene and on the curtain reads: Kaka Mahalla on its left. the right hand side writing is not legible." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "512) Marionettes." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 24.1: Marionette (# 512)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 24."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.24.01
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.24.01
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3c0c6298d-5c55-4f39-a408-11495f88e316
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10170

Group Portrait: Mullahs Seating "Bast"

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 17.8 cm. x 12.9 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880-1910
Scope and Contents:
- Faded handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "2."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper reads, "Mullahs taking bāst." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 24.2: Mullahs taking bāst." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 24."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.24.02
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.24.02
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3c07d44e6-7f62-47d9-8bac-44d336bd831e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10171

Tehran (Iran): Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace Complex), Imarat-i Badgir (Wind-catcher Building)

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Kākh-i Gulistān (Tehran, Iran)  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 23.8 cm. x 17.9 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880s
Scope and Contents:
"The villa was built on the south side the Gulistan Palace complex on the orders of Fath Ali Shah Qajar. Later on and on the orders of Nasir al-Din Shah extensive renovations were carried out on the site and the renovations continued later in the early Pahlavi era as well. The building is currently undergoing fresh rounds of renovations. The photo depicts the structure from the far end of the front pool, carefully framing the structure in the centre of the image. The complete symmetry of the plans allows for such symmetry in the image." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "253."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1145."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 29.11: (P) [black-and-white print on hand]. Tehran. Tehran. Locante (?) (Gulestan?) (# 253)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 29."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.29.11
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Architecture  Search this
Palaces  Search this
Qajar dynasty, -- Iran, -- 1794-1925  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.29.11
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc354ff13fa-b902-48bb-b2f0-b296438850e6
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10220

Isfahan (Iran): Ayina-khana (Hall of Mirrors)

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 23.8 cm. x 18.4 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Iṣfahān (Iran)
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
"The palace of Ayina-Khana was built by Shah Safi (Safavid) in the 17th century to resemble Chihil Sutun, the other royal palace in Isfahan. It was destroyed in 1891 by orders from the Qajar ruler of the city: Zil al-Sultan. Mas'ud Mirza or Zil al-Sultan was Nasir Al-Din Shah's oldest son and the governor of Isfahan for about thirty years." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "182."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "745."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "312) Chihil Situn-Isfahan." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 40.6: Isfahan. Building similar to Chihil Sutun." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 40."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.40.06
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Architecture  Search this
Palaces  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.40.06
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3178e0f60-735d-407b-a506-fb9db264c073
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10361

Qazvin (Iran): Masjid-i Shah (al-Nabi Mosque): View of Iwan inside the courtyard

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 21.2 cm. x 16.8 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Qazvīn (Iran)
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
"The mosque bears the inscription of Fath Ali Shah-i Qajar, but the structure can be dated as far back as mid 18th century." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "431."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "483."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "307) Ab Ambar Qazvin." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 40.8: (P) [black-and-white print on hand]. Kazwin. Masjid-i Jum'a. Iwan." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 40."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.40.08
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Architecture  Search this
Religious buildings  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.40.08
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3c59f6cd3-9649-48ac-813b-e43c12a76126
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10363

Group Portrait: Government Gendarmerie (Zandarmeri-e dawlati)

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 23.6 cm. x 17.6 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
ca. 1910
Scope and Contents:
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo manipulation reads, "Glass chopped down on all four sides. Tree painted with branches the outline is scratched on the negative. The face are all touched up with a fine headed pencil. A fainting trace of s signature is visible on the left corner. The glass is very thick."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "699."
- Handwritten number (inked) reads, "70."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "748."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "149) Officers of Gendarmerie." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 42.15: Officers of gendarmerie (#149)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 42."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.42.15
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Portrait photography  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Military  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.42.15
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3ad6ef36f-31fb-4529-b1d6-11ae8b827e7c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10392

Portrait of an Armenian Woman in Elaborate Costume

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 16.5 cm. x 21.5 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo manipulation reads, "The emulsion of the background of the figure is completely scratched off. There are pieces of paper attached to the edges of the negative. The bottom of the dress, the collars and the right edge of the scarf have ink marks and scratch marks on the to enhance the texture of the dress. The face has very thin markings and touch ups. The left edge is cut."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "334."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "123) Armenian girl +costume." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 46.15: Armenian girl in costume (#123)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 46."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.46.15
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Women  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Studio portraits
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.46.15
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3b5893c0d-1f25-420b-9f59-2fecffb28a94
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10437

Lion Keepers

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print, b&w, 23 cm. x 16.8 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s-1928
Scope and Contents:
Joseph Upton purchased 66 black-and-white gelatin silver photoprints in 1928 from Antoin Sevruguin in Tehran (Iran), and subsequently donated them to the Committee for Islamic Culture, as reported in their official minutes of October 24, 1953.
- On recto of the print, handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "428."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Loutis et Lion."
Arrangement:
Gelatin silver prints arranged in sequential number following Joseph Upton's handwritten list of captions, and ultimately organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (royalty, people, executions, criminals, punishment, architecture). This print is in the following subject category: People.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
58.G.11

[Myron Bement Smith collection. Freer/Sackler Archives, No. A.4.10]

[16(B9)]

FSA A.4 2.12.Up.11
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Animals  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Genre/Form:
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.Up.11
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.03: Sevruguin Upton Prints / Upton Prints: 10-19
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc30275101a-9c70-4e9b-98ea-e00a48704eab
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref9762

Portrait of an Armenian Woman

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print, b&w, 16.8 cm. x 23 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s-1928
Scope and Contents:
Joseph Upton purchased 66 black-and-white gelatin silver photoprints in 1928 from Antoin Sevruguin in Tehran (Iran), and subsequently donated them to the Committee for Islamic Culture, as reported in their official minutes of October 24, 1953.
- On recto of the print, handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "334."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "211."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Dame arménienne."
Arrangement:
Gelatin silver prints arranged in sequential number following Joseph Upton's handwritten list of captions, and ultimately organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (royalty, people, executions, criminals, punishment, architecture). This print is in the following subject category: People.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
58.G.33

[Myron Bement Smith collection. Freer/Sackler Archives, No. A.4.35]

[16(E7)]

FSA A.4 2.12.Up.33
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Women  Search this
Genre/Form:
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.Up.33
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.03: Sevruguin Upton Prints / Upton Prints: 30-39
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3d3b61c9e-0c6c-4737-ab2d-6b116089c68e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref9788

Tehran (Iran): Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace Complex), Imarat-i Badgir (Wind-catcher Building)

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Kākh-i Gulistān (Tehran, Iran)  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print, b&w, 24 cm. x 18 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880s-1930
Scope and Contents:
- On recto of the print, handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "253."
- On recto of the print, scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1145."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "29.11."
- On verso of the print (lower left corner), original stamp, in French and Persian, reads, "Photographie Sevruguin."
- On verso of the print, Myron Bement Smith caption in English reads, "Persia; Tehran; Amaret-i Badg'r, part of Gulistan complex. Publication history: Fevrier, Docteur. Trois ans à la Cour de Perse (Paris, n.d.) pages 137, 139."
Arrangement:
Gelatin silver prints organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (People; Architecture - Pre-Islamic; Royalty - Residences - Gulistan Palace (Tehran); Architecture; Landscapes). This print is in the following subject category: Royalty - Residences - Gulistan Palace (Tehran).
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
[18(E6)]

FSA A.4 2.12.Sm.43
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Architecture  Search this
Palaces  Search this
Qajar dynasty, -- Iran, -- 1794-1925  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.Sm.43
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.02: Sevruguin Smith Prints / Royalty: Residences
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3c211c19f-2a77-41ef-b638-df813369c208
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref9858

Isfahan (Iran): Madrasa-i Madar-i Shah: View of Entrance Iwan from the Chahar Bagh

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (photographic print, b&w, 18 cm. x 24 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Iṣfahān (Iran)
Date:
1880s-1930
Scope and Contents:
- On recto of the print, handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "475."
- On recto of the print, scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "---(?)."
- On verso of the print (lower left corner), original stamp, in French and Persian, reads, "Photographie Sevruguin."
- On verso of the print, Myron Bement Smith caption in English reads, "Isfahan; Isfahan; Madrasah-I Mādar-I Shāh."
Arrangement:
16 unaccounted Gelatin silver prints in Myron Bement Smith Collection have been identified as Sevruguin's photographic prints. They will now be part of Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs. Consequently, the physical items have been transferred to Box 5, folder 20 (subject category: unaccounted prints).
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.Sm.85
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Architecture  Search this
Religious buildings  Search this
Genre/Form:
Gelatin silver prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.Sm.85
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.02: Sevruguin Smith Prints
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3cd597c4c-1c72-4ff5-b687-c7088603f919
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref9900

Tehran (Iran): Maydan-i Tupkhana (also known as Maydan-i Sipah or Square of Canons)

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
1 Glass negative (b&w, 17.9 cm. x 12.5 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1010."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "568."
"The new Canons' square and the two storey buildings surrounding it was built between 1867 and 1877 on the north side of the old Canons' square or Maydan-i Arg. The two storey building in the background of the image surrounding the square was initially planned as a reservoir of military equipment and a meeting and living place of military officials. A large and shallow pool, surrounded by trees and greenery and a railing around the whole area was constructed in the middle of the square. Adjacent to the railing, the canons of the military surrounded the central pool. The main gate to the square and the structure known as Mil-Asia is visible outside the boundaries of the square." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "The photographer's fingerprints is on the top of the negative. There are delicate markings on the foreground."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "509) ToupKhaneh." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 3.5: Nazmieh - Toup Khaneh - g.v.." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
Arrangement:
According to Myron B. Smith handwritten document (Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran), Antoin Sevruguin's 696 glass negatives, at the time of their acquisition, were arranged into 61 boxes without any apparent organization. Today they are housed in archival document boxes, essentially duplicating the original arrangement, and stored on shelves. This glass negative was included into "Box 3."
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, leaving behind only a fraction of his large collection of glass negatives, which is currently in the Archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.4 2.12.GN.03.05
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Architecture  Search this
Genre/Form:
Glass negatives
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.03.05
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3cbea08e1-7172-4c23-827c-3ff949ecc389
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref9965

Antoin Sevruguin Photographs

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Collector:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Photographer:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Muzaffar al-Dīn Shāh, Shah of Iran, 1853-1907  Search this
Nāsir al-Dīn Shāh, Shah of Iran, 1831-1896  Search this
Reza Shah Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, 1878-1944  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Collection Creator:
Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970  Search this
Extent:
66 Photographic prints (various dimensions)
695 Glass negatives (b&w, 13 cm. x 18 cm)
98 Photographic prints (various dimensions)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Glass negatives
Gelatin silver prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Iraq
India
Uzbekistan
Baghdad (Iraq)
Basṭām (Iran)
Bīshāpūr (Extinct city)
Dāmghān (Iran)
Delhi (India)
Fīrūzābād (Iran)
Hamadān (Iran)
Iṣfahān (Iran)
Naqsh-i Rustam (Iran)
Pasargadae (Extinct city)
Persepolis (Iran)
Taq-e Bostan Site (Iran)
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880s-1933
Scope and Contents:
Antoin Sevruguin operated a successful commercial photography studio in Tehran and was a court photographer to Nasr ed-Din Shah and succeeding Qajar rulers. Sevruguin's daughter and heir donated his glass negatives to the American Presbyterian Mission in Tehran. The Committee for Islamic Culture, which administered the Islamic Archives, purchased 695 negatives from the Presbyterian Mission in 1951. The collection also includes 164 silver gelatin prints, 98 acquired by Myron Bement Smith(MBS) in 1934 and 66 donated by Joseph Upton in 1953. The glass negatives are numbered but without apparent organization. MBS organized his photoprints into subject categories. Upton's photoprints are numbered according to a handwritten caption list. [Located Bay 7] For specific information on items in the collection search Sevruguin on the Smithsonian Collections Search Center web site http://collections.si.edu .
- 66 black-and-white gelatin silver photoprints, unmounted, were a gift from Joseph Upton, received by the committee for Islamic Culture, as reported in their official minutes of October 24, 1953. The 66 photoprints were initially purchased by Joseph Upton in 1928 from Antoin Sevruguin in Tehran.
- 695 glass negatives were included into the "Islamic Archives," which was administered jontly by the committee for Islamic Culture and the committee for Arabic and Islamic Studies of the American Council of Learned Societies. According to the official minutes, the committee for Islamic Culture reported purchasing the 696 glass plates during their fiscal years 1951-1952 from the American Presbyterian Mission in Tehran. Antoin Sevruguin's daughter gave these plates to the mission with instruction that they be sold for the benefit of the mission.
- 98 gelatin silver photoprints were collected by Myron Bement Smith after he viewed a portion of Sevruguin's negatives in 1934 ( these include recent finds in the Myron Bement Smith collection).
In addition of Antoin Sevruguin's 695 glass negatives and 164 silver gelatin prints in the Myron Bement Smith collection the Archives holds: 18 albumen prints in theJay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs (FSA A.15); 34 photographic prints in the Ernst Herzfeld Papers (FSA A.6); as well as a photograph album and individual albumen prints donated by Stephen Arpee (FSA A2011.03). Finally, the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives also own 3 separate gelatin silver prints.
Myron Bement Smith Collection: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs
Arrangement:
- 66 gelatin silver prints are arranged in sequential number following Joseph Upton's handwritten list of captions, and ultimately organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (royalty, people, executions, criminals, punishment, architecture).
- 695 glass negatives, numbered, without any apparent organization, are housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
- 98 gelatin silver prints are organized by Myron B. Smith into subject categories (people, architecture, royalty, landscape).
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin managed and operated one of the most successful commercial photography studios in Tehran in the late 19th century. Born in the 1840s in Iran, Sevruguin's mother returned with her children to her hometown of Tbilisi after his father Vassil, a Russian diplomat in Iran, died in a horse riding accident. Trained as a painter, Sevruguin returned to Iran in the early 1870s accompanied by his two brothers, establishing a photography studio first in Tabriz and then Tehran. His studio's ties to Tbilisi, however, persisted through the years; many of the early portraits of Dervishes and women have been simultaneously attributed to Antoin Sevruguin and Dimitri Yermakov, the Georgian photographer who is often referred to as Sevruguin's mentor from Tbilisi. Many of Antoin Sevruguin's photographs were published as early as 1885 in travelogues, journals and books indicating that by that time he had a fully established practice in Tehran's Ala al-Dawla street, with ties to the court of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar. Often unacknowledged as the producer of published images in his own time - the 1902 photographic survey of Persepolis being the most glaring of such authorial misrepresentations - he was nevertheless celebrated and acknowledged for his artistic vision and his keen eye for composition, achieving the Medal of Lion and Sun from Nasir al-Din Shah, the 1897 Medal of Honour in the Brussels International Exposition, and the 1900 Medal of Honour in Paris International Exposition. Reflecting a career that spans nearly half a century, Sevruguin's diverse body of work includes studio portraits of families, women and dervishes, survey photographs of archeological sites, objects, landscapes and architecture, and photographs of royalty, high officials and ceremonies of the Qajar court. The range of his output not only demonstrates his own pictorial concerns and artistic abilities but also the divergent interests of his clients. Despite numerous devastating incidents throughout his career - the loss of more than half of his negatives in a 1908 blast and fire, an unsuccessful attempt at diversifying into cinematography in the 1910s, and the confiscation of the remainder of his negatives in the mid-1920s to name a few - his studio remained operational even after his death in 1933. A number of negatives from the Sevruguin studio can be dated to the years after Antoin's death, indicating that the Sevruguin studio continued to be commercially viable. As one of the most prolific early commercial photographers in Iran, Antoin Sevruguin's artistic legacy has since proved far more enduring.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.04 2.12
General:
Titles and summary notes are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Abbasids  Search this
Ancient Near Eastern Art  Search this
Antiquities  Search this
Architecture  Search this
Art of the Islamic World  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
Criminal procedure  Search this
Executions and executioners  Search this
headgear  Search this
Inscriptions  Search this
Landscapes  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Pottery  Search this
Relief (Sculpture)  Search this
Religious buildings  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Sassanids  Search this
Shrines  Search this
Textile design  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Glass negatives
Gelatin silver prints
Collection Citation:
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Identifier:
FSA.A.04, Subseries 2.12
See more items in:
Myron Bement Smith Collection
Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3663a9188-da2c-4fec-a971-3e726a7f8cdf
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref9047

Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs

Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Kākh-i Gulistān (Tehran, Iran)  Search this
Nāsir al-Dīn Shāh, Shah of Iran, 1831-1896  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (album (99 photoprints), b&w, 31.2 cm. x 41.6 cm. (sheet))
62 Albumen prints (b&w, 25 cm. x 20 cm. or smaller)
Culture:
Qajar dynasty -- Iran -- 1794-1925  Search this
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photograph albums
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Bandar Anzalī (Iran)
Iṣfahān (Iran)
Qazvīn (Iran)
Qum (Iran)
Rasht (Iran)
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
undated
Scope and Contents:
A large album of prints by photographer Antoin Sevruguin, likely dating from his early career in Iran in the 1870s and 1880s. The collection also includes a number of loose, unbacked prints, many duplicating the photographs in the album. Roughly half of the mounted prints have English handwritten captions.
Arrangement:
Images indexed by original photographic print number.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin managed and operated one of the most successful commercial photography studios in Tehran in the late 19th century. Born in the 1840s in Iran, Sevruguin's mother returned with her children to her hometown of Tbilisi after his father Vassil, a Russian diplomat in Iran, died in a horse riding accident. Trained as a painter, Sevruguin returned to Iran in the early 1870s accompanied by his two brothers, establishing a photography studio first in Tabriz and then Tehran. His studio's ties to Tbilisi, however, persisted through the years; many of the early portraits of Dervishes and women have been simultaneously attributed to Antoin Sevruguin and Dimitri Yermakov, the Georgian photographer who is often referred to as Sevruguin's mentor from Tbilisi. Many of Antoin Sevruguin's photographs were published as early as 1885 in travelogues, journals and books indicating that by that time he had a fully established practice in Tehran's Ala al-Dawla street, with ties to the court of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar. Often unacknowledged as the producer of published images in his own time - the 1902 photographic survey of Persepolis being the most glaring of such authorial misrepresentations - he was nevertheless celebrated and acknowledged for his artistic vision and his keen eye for composition, achieving the Medal of Lion and Sun from Nasir al-Din Shah, the 1897 Medal of Honour in the Brussels International Exposition, and the 1900 Medal of Honour in Paris International Exposition. Reflecting a career that spans nearly half a century, Sevruguin's diverse body of work includes studio portraits of families, women and dervishes, survey photographs of archeological sites, objects, landscapes and architecture, and photographs of royalty, high officials and ceremonies of the Qajar court. The range of his output not only demonstrates his own pictorial concerns and artistic abilities but also the divergent interests of his clients. Despite numerous devastating incidents throughout his career - the loss of more than half of his negatives in a 1908 blast and fire, an unsuccessful attempt at diversifying into cinematography in the 1910s, and the confiscation of the remainder of his negatives in the mid-1920s to name a few - his studio remained operational even after his death in 1933. A number of negatives from the Sevruguin studio can be dated to the years after Antoin's death, indicating that the Sevruguin studio continued to be commercially viable. As one of the most prolific early commercial photographers in Iran, Antoin Sevruguin's artistic legacy has since proved far more enduring.
Local Numbers:
FSA A2011.03
Provenance:
Purchase; 2011.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Qajar dynasty, -- Iran, -- 1794-1925  Search this
Architecture  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
Criminal procedure  Search this
Landscapes  Search this
Executions and executioners  Search this
Hairstyles  Search this
headgear  Search this
Jewelry  Search this
Military  Search this
Musical instruments  Search this
Palaces  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Religious buildings  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Shrines  Search this
Street vendors  Search this
Thrones  Search this
Women  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photograph albums
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Citation:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A2011.03. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Identifier:
FSA.A2011.03
See more items in:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3a85abb77-08de-46a1-988b-d4e51ccd2da1
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-fsa-a2011-03
Online Media:

Photograph of Mountaneous Route

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Collection Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Albumen print (b&w, 22.3 cm. x 16.5 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s - 1930
Scope and Contents:
"." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
Arrangement:
One of 62 albumen prints, un-numbered and without any apparent organization, housed in document box and stored on shelves. The 62 photographs were found sandwiched between the front and back covers of a leather-bound album of 19th. century photographs of Antoin Sevruguin. Many of these prints are duplicates of these in the album, and were certainly purchased at the same time.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
FSA A2011.03 B.01
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Landscapes  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A2011.03. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Identifier:
FSA.A2011.03, Item FSA A2011.03 B.01
See more items in:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc38f264cde-36c7-4ba3-9b7c-a6bd612d1e16
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a2011-03-ref1

Photograph of a Group of Attendants at a Religious Gathering

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Collection Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Albumen print (b&w, 21.6 cm. x 16.2 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s - 1930
Arrangement:
One of 62 albumen prints, un-numbered and without any apparent organization, housed in document box and stored on shelves. The 62 photographs were found sandwiched between the front and back covers of a leather-bound album of 19th. century photographs of Antoin Sevruguin. Many of these prints are duplicates of these in the album, and were certainly purchased at the same time.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
FSA A2011.03 B.09
General:
Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Rites and ceremonies  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A2011.03. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Identifier:
FSA.A2011.03, Item FSA A2011.03 B.09
See more items in:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3392bec33-a62f-4dab-8559-07cabc38268e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a2011-03-ref10

Arpee Album: Photograph of an Elderly Man

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Collection Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Albumen print (b&w, 20 cm. x 12.2 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photograph albums
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s - 1930
Scope and Contents:
"In some accounts the seated figure is identified as a learned jew." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "Albumen print, faded on the outer boundaries."
- On the mount, below the photographic print, handwritten caption (inked) in English reads, "Chief Priest of the Fire Worshipper."
Arrangement:
Page twenty-seven of an album of 99 mounted albumen prints with attractive leather covers and embossed green star-and-crescent design.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
FSA A2011.03 A.27b
General:
Title and Summary notes are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Portrait photography  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photograph albums
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Collection Citation:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A2011.03. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Identifier:
FSA.A2011.03, Item FSA A2011.03 A.27b
See more items in:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc371518476-184a-40f1-8a7d-9d6c2b200d05
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a2011-03-ref100

Arpee Album: Photograph of City Dwellers with Lantern

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Collection Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Albumen print (b&w, 19.5 cm. x 13 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photograph albums
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s - 1930
Scope and Contents:
"The photo is supposedly taken after dust. The man depicted in the photo is guiding the way with a portable light, accompanying the women in their urban travel after dark." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "Albumen print, faded on the outer boundaries."
- On the mount, below the photographic print, handwritten caption (inked) in English reads, "Family with Lantern."
- Handwritten Cyrillic signature in white (inked), probably by Antoin Sevruguin reads: "Cebpróôun."
Arrangement:
Page twenty-eight of an album of 99 mounted albumen prints with attractive leather covers and embossed green star-and-crescent design.
Biographical / Historical:
Antoin Sevruguin is one of the early pioneers of commercial photography in Iran. He arrived in Iran from Tbilisi, Georgia in the mid 1870s to set up shop in Ala al-Dawla street in Tehran. From the early days, Sevruguin's studio was trusted both by the Qajar court and by foreign visitors to Iran. Highly regarded for their artistic ingenuity outside Iran, Sevruguin's photographs of 'ethnic types,' architecture and landscape, and depictions of daily life of Tehran found their way into foreign travelogues, magazines and books. As such, he stands alone in a relatively large group of early Iranian photographers for being recognized and celebrated outside the boundaries of the country. Antoin Sevruguin passed away in 1933, although his family studio continued for some time as a commercial enterprise.
Local Numbers:
FSA A2011.03 A.28a
General:
Title and Summary notes are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg research specialist.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photograph albums
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Collection Citation:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A2011.03. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Identifier:
FSA.A2011.03, Item FSA A2011.03 A.28a
See more items in:
Stephen Arpee Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc39da3d7d6-21d4-4e25-af0a-9ea6b304eb41
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a2011-03-ref101

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