Arpee Album: Photograph of the Talar-i Salam or Talar-i Takht (Throne Room) Including Takht-I Tavoos or the Peacock Throne, at the Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace Complex), Tehran (Iran)
"The photograph depicts the famous Peacock throne of Gulistan palace in the throne room or Talar-i Salam. 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.Talar-I Takht or Throne room of Gulistan palace housed the famous Peacock throne and was the offical reception room of the palace. Located on the northwest side of the complex, the room was initially designed as a museum but was later known for its primary use as the official reception room of the palace. The construction of the new complex and the throne room staretd in 1874 and concluded two years later in 1876. It was then decorated with the extensive collection of foreign gifts and local/Iranian artefacts of the palace. The room is currently used as a museum as well." [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."
- Handwritten Cyrillic signature in white (inked), probably by Antoin Sevruguin reads: "Cebpróôun."
Arrangement:
Page fourty-three 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.43a
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.
