"The marble throne, as depicted in this photo, was designed by Mirza Baba Shirazi Naqashbashi on the orders of Fath Ali Shah Qajar and in 1806. The throne was later built upon this design by an artisan called Muhammad Ibrahim, whose name is carved on the statues of the corners of the throne. The throne is placed on the statues of three angels, six demons and eleven twisted columns, some underneath the bed and some surrounding it. The marble eventually replaced the peacock throne in the open balcony of Gulistan palace, called Iwan-i Takht (The terrace of the throne)." [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."
- Faded 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.43b
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.
