""I, Kartir, am known in the empire for righteousness and eminence, and known to have been of good service and good will to the Yazads and lords. Further I to the Yazads ward this also thus promised, that, if by the help of the Yazads I, Kartir, for the living upon highest rank were made to look then also by me further to the departed ward of heaven and hell the essential features would be outlined (or proclaimed or enlarged) for the sake, also, of these divine services as within the empire they are performed, for the sake of these also. Further, of whatever kind they may be, that were to be outlined by me by way of becoming more authoritative, and that thus, as I had promised to the Yazads. Further by me those which were established, even thus as by me it (was to be done for) heaven and hell, for these services also orthodoxy and heterodoxy (in) their essential features were (to be) outlined. Now for me then, when by the help of the Yazads this also was established, to the departed ward this thus was outlined, then (to) the Yazads of much better service and will have I become. And for my own soul I have become more provident and quiet. And also on these offerings and services which within the empire are performed much more authoritative have I become. And whosoever sees this inscription and reads it, that one for Yazads and lords and his own soul straight and right let him be. And beyond this, also, in the offerings and services and the Mazdayasnian religion, which is now performed for the living, let him become more authoritative. Now another matter; not everyone may issue a command at will. Let it be known what I have decided: There is a heaven and there is a hell. And whoever is a well doer shall go straight to heaven. And whoever is a sinner shall be cast down to hell. And whoever is a well doer and after well doing persistently runs, this one (in) this bone-endowed body good fame and prosperity shall attain and also (in) this bone-endowed spirit orthodoxy shall (he) overtake, as I, Kartir, have attained. Now I have written this inscription for this purpose, that since for me, Kartir, from of yore onward by rulers and lords many fires with (their) magi by imperial deeds were instituted and for me the great glory of my own name on imperial deeds and documents stands written, that whoever in future time imperial documents or deeds or other inscriptions may see, that one should know, that I am Kartir, who (under) Shapur, King of Kings, Kartir the Magupat [Magus-master] and Ehrpat was entitled; and under Hormizd, King of Kings, and Varahran, King of Kings, son of Shapur, Kartir, Ahura Mazda's Magupat was entitled; and under Varahran, [King of] Kings, son of Varahran, Kartir, Soul-savior of Varahran and Ahura Mazda's Magupat was entitled. Written by Buhtak, scribe of Kartir, the Lord."." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "51."
- Faded handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "821."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 38.11: (P) [black-and-white print on hand]. Fars; Naksh-i Rajab. Relief." [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 38."
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.38.11
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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
