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Studio Portrait: Seated Dervish Holding Engraved Axe

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, 18.4 cm. x 23.8 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 condition reads, "The glass negative is broken with a missing piece in the lower left corner."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "7."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "253) Dervish." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 28.7: Dervish (# 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 28."
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.28.07
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
Dervishes  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  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.28.07
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/dc365e7c531-8cae-4c39-81c1-4e84ec3fb5e2
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10225

Tehran (Iran), Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace Complex), Talar-i Takht (Throne Room): Nasir Al-Din Shah Sitting on the Lower Step of Takht-I Tavoos or the Peacock Throne

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Islamic Archives  Search this
Kākh-i Gulistān (Tehran, Iran)  Search this
Nāsir al-Dīn Shāh, Shah of Iran, 1831-1896  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, 18 cm. x 23.8 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1902-1905
Scope and Contents:
"The Shah is sitting on the lower step of Takht-i Tavoos or the Peacock Throne in the throne room of Kakh-i Gulistan. Nasir al-Din Shah's headgear is missing the royal emblem of the Qajar court. The negative of this image is present in the archives (31.1). A close comparison of the print and the negative shows that the framing of the image in the print is a bit closer to the figure of the Shah, eliminating part of the surrounding room. The overall impression of the scene in the print is therefore that of an intimate and informal encounter between the king and the photographer, much like many other images by Sevruguin (Nasir having his moustache dyed, Hunting with Malijak, patting Aqa khan Khaja's head, etc.) Takht-i Tavoos (Peacock Throne) is a later name of Takht-i Khurshid or the Sun Throne. Erroneously the name of the Throne as the peacock throne equated it with the famous Indian throne of Shah Jahan and Nadir's war booty from India, whereas Takht-i Khurshid - visible in this image - was ordered by Fath Ali Shah Qajar around 1800s and built by an Isfahani artist known as Haji Muhammad Hussayn Khan Sadr. The name of the throne changed to the Peacock Throne after Fath Ali Shah's marriage to Tavoos Khanum, his favorite wife. The marriage was celebrated on this particular throne. In the occasion of various royal celebration - such as Salam-i Nawruzi - the throne would be moved out of the palace and into the Iwan-i Dar al-Imara (later known as the hall of Takht-i Marmar or the marble throne) and would be the seating place of the Qajar kings of the time. The tight framing of the print as compared to the negative also eliminates the number that is that is visible in the negative." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "584."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "628."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 31.1: (P) [black-and-white print on hand]. Nasr-ud-Din Shah." [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 31."
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.31.01
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:
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Palaces  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Thrones  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.31.01
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/dc3a8afd000-d5ed-4f46-b264-781542744d0e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10251

Tehran (Iran): View from the Top of Darvaza Dawlat (Dawlat City Gate)

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, 23.7 cm. x 17.8 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
"The structure dates to Nasir Al-Din Shah's time. After the expansion of Tehran, which started in 1867, six gates were added to the city walls of Tehran, one of the most elaborately designed one of which was Darvaza Dawlat. The gate was built in 1871 by Mohammad Rahim Khan 'Ala al-Dawla (Amir Nizam) and at least until the end of 1870s, it had the central archway facing the city and the goat heads of the central top piece on its other side, facing outside the city. During a reconstruction in 1880s the archway of the internal side, along with the goat-heads of the external side were removed. Located on the north side of the wall, Darvaza Dawlat, along with Shimiran and Yusif Abad Gates, marked the northern boundaries of the city. The view of all the gates usually differed from the side facing the city to the side facing the outside. Almost all of the twelve gates of the city were torn down during the later expansion of Tehran in 1930s.The photograph depicts the view outside the city walls of Tehran from atop the Dawlat gate. The brick wall that cuts through the foreground and ends in a half-circle in the mid-ground of the image is the remnants of the old walls of the city. On the far left side of the image a partial view of the Chiragh Gaz avenue and its gate can be viewed." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "207."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1357."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "View of Teheran from Darvazeyi Daulat." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 31.4: Tehran. View from Darvayazi Dawlat." [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 31."
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.31.04
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.31.04
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/dc39782d54a-0c13-42b8-8d1c-537fccf854ad
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10254

Tehran (Iran): Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace Complex): Nadir Throne

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, 23.7 cm. x 17.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
"The throne visible in the image is what is commonly referred to as Nadiri Throne. The construction of the throne, however, is firmly attributed to Fath Ali Shah Qajar (1798-1834), as the inscriptions around the base of the throne make explicit. The throne is inlaid with 26,733 gems and its measurements are as followed: 98 centimeters long, 96 centimeters broad, 117 centimeters to the arm-set and 217 centimeters at the back. For ease of movement, the throne was originally built in 12 separate pieces to be assembled and dis-assembled when needed. The pieces are all covered in sheets of gold and inlaid with precious stones, consisting - mostly - of emeralds and rubies." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo manipulation reads, "The image seems to be a copy print of another photo."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "258."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) not readable.
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "285) Summer residence." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 33.8: Summer residence. Throne." [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 33."
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.33.08
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:
Palaces  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Thrones  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.33.08
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/dc3b88d78db-7834-469b-818e-e309033554c2
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10282

Man buried in sand

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, 23.7 cm. x 18 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "512."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1131."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "134) Execution of a thief in gateh." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 37.2: Execution of a thief in gach (# 134)." [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 37."
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.37.02
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.
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.37.02
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/dc31c0f992d-bcb9-4a20-b343-e4a18f8dcb8e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10320

Tehran (Iran): Masjid-i Shah Abd al 'Azim (Shah Abd al 'Azim Mosque)

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, 12.9 cm. x 17.8 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Glass negatives
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880-1930
Scope and Contents:
"The Seljuk Shrine/mosque has a lengthy list of restorations during the years, a few of the most significant of which is from Qajar period. From adding minarets and tile work to restoring the other structures and shrines around the main building, works were carried out in the span of about a hundred years during the reigns of Fath Ali Shah, Nasir al-Din Shah and Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar. Its golden dome was added during Nasir al-Din Shah's reign, who ordered the dome to be covered in Gold covered copper sheets around 1850s. The minarets were added around 1890s. Many of the images of the building in the 1900s publications are missing the most recent addition of the minarets. This photograph, however, was taken after the addition of the minarets. It shows the main entrance to the harem." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo manipulation reads, "Small piece of tape at the back. All the four sides are chopped down and there is a partial number visible (8) on the lower left edge the rest of which is gone with the cut."
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1132."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper reads, "Shah abdul Azim." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 53.10: Shah Abdul Azim, general view." [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 53."
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.53.10
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.53.10
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/dc3d6398734-8467-444e-862d-f220ea601a9e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-04-ref10522

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

Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Nāsir al-Dīn Shāh, Shah of Iran, 1831-1896  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
18 Albumen prints (b&w)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1969-1985
Scope and Contents:
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.
Arrangement:
Images indexed by original photographic print number.
Biographical / Historical:
Jay A. Bisno (b. 1939) was Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History curator of archaeology.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.15
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Mr. Bisno purchased the eighteen unmounted albumen prints from a shop in the Old City of Jerusalem in 1969.
Provenance:
Gift; Jay A. Bisno; 1985.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Clothing and dress  Search this
Criminal procedure  Search this
Landscapes  Search this
Executions and executioners  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Religious buildings  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3d4333b92-8a9a-4147-b720-12a4c7aad5bd
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-fsa-a-15
Online Media:

Nasir al-Din Shah Sitting on the Lower Step of Takht-i Tavoos (Peacock Throne), in the Talar-i Takht (Throne Room) at Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace Complex), Tehran (Iran)

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
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
Collection Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Albumen print (b&w, 15.5 cm. x 20.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1885-1896
Scope and Contents:
"The Shah is sitting on the lower step of Takht-i Tavoos or the Peacock Throne in the throne room of Kakh-i Gulistan. Nasir al-Din Shah's headgear is missing the royal emblem of the Qajar court. The negative of this image is present in the archives (31.1). A close comparison of the print and the negative shows that the framing of the image in the print is a bit closer to the figure of the Shah, eliminating part of the surrounding room. The overall impression of the scene in the print is therefore that of an intimate and informal encounter between the king and the photographer, much like many other images by Sevruguin (Nasir having his moustache dyed, Hunting with Malijak, patting Aqa khan Khaja's head, etc.) Takht-i Tavoos (Peacock Throne) is a later name of Takht-i Khurshid or the Sun Throne. Erroneously the name of the Throne as the peacock throne equated it with the famous Indian throne of Shah Jahan and Nadir's war booty from India, whereas Takht-i Khurshid - visible in this image - was ordered by Fath Ali Shah Qajar around 1800s and built by an Isfahani artist known as Haji Muhammad Hussayn Khan Sadr. The name of the throne changed to the Peacock Throne after Fath Ali Shah's marriage to Tavoos Khanum, his favorite wife. The marriage was celebrated on this particular throne. In the occasion of various royal celebration - such as Salam-i Nawruzi - the throne would be moved out of the palace and into the Iwan-i Dar al-Imara (later known as the hall of Takht-i Marmar or the marble throne) and would be the seating place of the Qajar kings of the time. The tight framing of the print as compared to the negative also eliminates the number that is that is visible in the negative." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "628."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "Nasrdin Chah."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
A.5-11

B-1

FSA A.15 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:
Clothing and dress  Search this
headgear  Search this
Palaces  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Thrones  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 01
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc39d628efb-6350-45ce-8c77-d34adab5b672
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref1

Crowd at a Performance in Maydan-i Arg (Arg Square) or the Old Canon's Square (Maydan-I Tupkhana'I Qadim), Tehran (Iran):

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, 20.8 cm. x 15.8 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1880s-1930s
Scope and Contents:
"The square was the usual gathering place of people in ceremonies. Iwan-i Takht that was also the entrance to the palace overlooks the square. The image depicts the square from the opposite side of the Iwan with people gathering in the square to witness an event in the background of the image. From the two poles on the either side of the blurred scene in the middle, it can be assumed that the scene is of a hanging." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "653."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Salance(?)."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "9."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
B-10

FSA A.15 10
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:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 10
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc38b5c64fe-64bc-4e3d-a3c0-418f9cdb8b5d
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref10

Mirza Riza Kirmani, Nasir Al-Din Shah's Assassin

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, 14.7 cm. x 20.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1896
Scope and Contents:
"Portrait of Mirza Riza Kirmani (d. 1896) taken during his imprisonment and after his assassination of Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar. Mirza Riza Kirmani assassinated Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar on May 1st of 1896, during the Shah's visit to Shah Abdul 'Azim Shrine in northern Tehran. Mirza Riza was executed by hanging on the dusk of the second day of Rabi 'al-Avval of 1314(11th of August, 1896), about four months after he assassinated Nasir al-Din Shah. The four month delay in his execution was due to the extensive interrogations to find out if he had any accomplices." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "607."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "Mirza Reza."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "3a."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
A.5-3

B-11

FSA A.15 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:
Clothing and dress  Search this
Criminal procedure  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 11
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3ea8b6024-872c-44e5-9913-21317e0cb029
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref11

Public Hanging of Mirza Riza Kirmani, August 12, 1896

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, 20.7 cm. x 15.6 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
1896
Scope and Contents:
"Mirza Riza Kirmani assassinated Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar on May 1st of 1896, during the shah's visit to Shah Abdul 'Azim Shrine in northern Tehran. Nasir al-Din shah's visit to the shrine, which for the first time happened in the presence of people - was to initiate the celebration of his 50th year in reign. Mirza Riza was executed by hanging on the dusk of the second day of Rabi 'al-Avval of 1314(12th of August, 1896), about four months after he assassinated Nasir al-Din Shah. The four month delay in his execution was due to the extensive interrogations to find out if he had any accomplices. His body was left hanging for about two days after the event. From the number of people gathering around the hanging body of Mirza, it can be assumed that the photo was taken within hours after the event. Amin al-Sultan notes in his diaries that the first few hours, the square was rather crowded and he could hardly find his way close to the body." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "623."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "Mirza Reza."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "3b."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
B-12

FSA A.15 12
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:
Criminal procedure  Search this
Executions and executioners  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 12
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc320d4bf55-3440-49f2-8b00-b395f4ccbdbe
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref12

Masjid-i Shah Abd al 'Azim (Shah Abd al 'Azim Mosque) in Tehran (Iran)

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, 15.5 cm. x 20.5 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
ca. 1897
Scope and Contents:
"The photo - taken from afar and a slightly elevated position - shows the courtyard and the entrance iwan of the Masjid-i Shah Abd al'Azim. The Seljuk Shrine/mosque has a lengthy list of restorations during the years, a few of the most significant of which is from Qajar period. From adding minarets and tile work to restoring the other structures and shrines around the main building, works were carried out in the span of about a hundred years during the reigns of Fath Ali Shah, Nasir al-Din Shah and Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar. Its golden dome was added during Nasir al-Din Shah's reign, who ordered the dome to be covered in Gold covered copper sheets around 1850s. The minarets were added around 1890s. Many of the images of the building in the 1900s publications are missing the most recent addition of the minarets. The image in Bisno collection however shows the building after the addition of minarets, which puts the date around 1895-1900. Abdullah Qajar has a very similar photo. Copies of Sevruguin's many photos of the site, along with Abdullah Qajar's photos, can be found on the website of the shrine." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "85."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Chahzadeh Abdoulazime."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "23a."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
23a

B-18

FSA A.15 18
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:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 18
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc32bece6f2-301b-4347-b5d3-aedc3fdefb48
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref13

Group of Prisoners and Guards

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, 20.7 cm. x 15.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s-1930s
Scope and Contents:
"The five prisoners in chains are seated in front of a row of nine, fully armed guards." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "122."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "34."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
A.5-6

B-13

FSA A.15 13
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
Criminal procedure  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 13
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3a85541bf-4add-4ec2-b5ac-8adc1bcc01a7
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref14

A Prisoner and Guard

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, 15.6 cm. x 20.6 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s-1930s
Scope and Contents:
"An old prisoner and his guard are photographed standing side by side inside a studio setting. While the prisonor is looking away from the camera, the guard engages the gaze of the viewer and the lens. The prisonor seems to carry a tied up piece of rope and his guard is carrying the remains of the chain on the prisonor's neck." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1264."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Un brigand."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "36."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
A.5-10

B-14

FSA A.15 14
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
Criminal procedure  Search this
headgear  Search this
Portrait photography  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 14
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc38320b65f-34be-4bda-886c-93e241059bce
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref15

Executed Prisoner in a Public Square

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, 20.7 cm. x 15.6 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s-1930s
Scope and Contents:
"The blood covered body of a man in white cloth lays in the opening in front of the camera while a large group of spectators - including children - are watching the event in the background of the image." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "337."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Executé."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "51b."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
51b

B-15

FSA A.15 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:
Criminal procedure  Search this
Executions and executioners  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 15
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc39988cfb5-64b8-4b5e-b760-450a62fdf0ea
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref16

Man buried in sand

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, 20.7 cm. x 15.5 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s-1930s
Scope and Contents:
"Public display of punishment - be it bastinado, showing of prisoners in chains, hanging or stoning - comprise a group of photos in Sevruguin collection. A thorough study of this set can yield unexpected results in the matter of uses of violence and punishment in the first few years of 20th century in Iran. The images of bastinado as a usual form of punishment in the 'orient' are prevalent also in the travelogues and other similar publications of around 1900s. Sevruguin's photos are both published in such books and journal entries and utilized as models for lithographs and paintings in them." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1131."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Executé."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "51a."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
51a

B-16

FSA A.15 16
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:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 16
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc37e8159a3-2182-467f-b6a6-8e2097161c6c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref17

Administration of Punishment by Application of Bastinado

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, 20.7 cm. x 15.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
1880s-1930s
Scope and Contents:
"Public display of punishment - be it bastinado, showing of prisoners in chains, hanging or stoning - comprise a group of photos in Sevruguin collection. A thorough study of this set can yield unexpected results in the matter of uses of violence and punishment in the first few years of 20th century in Iran. The images of bastinado as a usual form of punishment in the 'orient' are prevalent also in the travelogues and other similar publications of around 1900s. Sevruguin's photos are both published in such books and journal entries and utilized as models for lithographs and paintings in them." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "299."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled), probably by Antoin Sevruguin in French reads, "Bastanad [Bastonade]."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "33."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
33

B-17

FSA A.15 17
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:
Criminal procedure  Search this
Executions and executioners  Search this
headgear  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 17
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc330df565d-6032-489d-90a9-20b0a89911de
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref18

Funeral Bier of Nasir al-Din Shah, Placed in the Takkiya Dawlat, Tehran (Iran)

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Nāsir al-Dīn Shāh, Shah of Iran, 1831-1896  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Collection Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Albumen print (b&w, 15.6 cm. x 20.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Place:
Asia
Iran
Tehran (Iran)
Date:
May-June,1896
Scope and Contents:
"Nasir al-Din shah (b. 1831-d. 1896), the fourth king of Qajar dynasty, was assassinated by Mirza Riza Kirmani on May 1st of 1896, on his short visit to Shah Abdul 'Azim Shrine in Shemiran, North of Tehran. The purpose of the trip was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his reign. On April 30th of 1896, Kirmani, who was amongst the spectators of the Shah's visit to the Abd al-'Azim shrine - allowed for the first time in the presence of the Royal entourage - shot Nasir on his way out of the Shrine. Nasir al-Din shah's funeral was held on the 18th of Zi Gha'da of 1313 (May 1st, 1896) from Kakh-i Gulistan's Diamond room to Takkiya Dawlat. His body was kept in Takkiya Dawlat for a few months until his burial place was prepared. He was then buried beside his favorite wife - Furugh al-Saltana or Jayran - in Shah Abdul 'Azim. Another funeral was held upon his relocation from Takkiya Dawlat to Shah Abdul 'Azim in July of 1896. The image seems to have been taken in Takkiya Dawlat, where Nasir al-Din Shah's body was kept for the first few months. Nasir al-Din Shah's bier is placed on top of a platform that is set up above a few carpet covered steps in Takkiya Dawlat's main iwan. Candles are placed atop the platform and the bier is covered with flowers. The bier is accompanied by religious figures, guards and court officials, standing beside the bier on the platform and the steps. Above the bier a portrait painting of Nasir al-Din Shah - standing and in armor - is hung under another smaller painting that seems to depict Hussayn, the third Imam of Shi'i Islam. In the newspapers of the time, the death of Nasir al-Din Shah was likened to the death of Hussayn and the mourning period for the king likened to the Muharram mourning period of Tasu'a and 'Ashura. Considering the fact that Nasir was assassinated about a month and half before the Muharram mourning days ( 17th of Zi Gha'da) and his body was not moved from Takkiya Dawlat before the end of the Muharram mourning period, the two mourning periods coincided in date as well as the location." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "368."
- On verso of the print, handwritten caption (penciled, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) in French reads, "Catafalque de feu Shah."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "4."
- On verso of the print, handwritten annotation (penciled) reads, "Ernst Höltzer."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
A.5-2

B-2

FSA A.15 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:
Architecture  Search this
Rites and ceremonies  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 02
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc319af057d-42b0-4242-9ffc-49b35098266e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref2

Muzaffar Al-Din Shah Qajar, Shah of Iran

Topic:
Early Photography of Iran
Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Names:
Muzaffar al-Dīn Shāh, Shah of Iran, 1853-1907  Search this
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Collection Creator:
Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933  Search this
Extent:
1 Albumen print (b&w, 15.6 cm. x 20.7 cm.)
Type:
Archival materials
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Place:
Asia
Iran
Date:
Before 1896
Scope and Contents:
"Muzaffar Al-Din Shah Qajar (b.1853-d.1906) succeeded Nasir Al-Din Shah as the fifth king of Qajar dynasty after his assassination in 1896. The new king, who originally resided in Tabriz, moved to Tehran in May of 1896 to take over his father's throne. However, the inscription on the crown's emblem in this image makes it a Nasiri crown. The photo is therefore taken while he was still the crown prince and during Nasir al-Din Shah's reign. The small bit of railing visible in the image - where the figure rests his arm - closely resembles the studio props of the photographer's studio. If the image is not taken in the studio and in the palace, the choice of the setting complicates the distinction, possibly contributing to the photographic studio's profile of clienteles and thus its fame." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- On recto of the print, handwritten number in white (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "600."
- On verso of the print, handwritten number (penciled) reads, "1."
Arrangement:
One of 18 albumen prints, without any apparent organization, housed in document boxes and stored on shelves.
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:
A.5-1

B-3

FSA A.15 03
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
Regalia (Insignia)  Search this
Royalty (Nobility)  Search this
Genre/Form:
Albumen prints
Photographic prints
Studio portraits
Collection Citation:
Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs. FSA.A.15. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Jay Bisno, 1985
Identifier:
FSA.A.15, Item FSA A.15 03
See more items in:
Jay A. Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs
Archival Repository:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/dc3f2864ba4-496d-43fe-a386-d9e3a63aecea
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-fsa-a-15-ref3

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