"The initial bridge was an arched bridge dating back to Safavid times. The bridge was located on the route to Tehran from Qazvin, another route of travel to Europe from the capital.The bridge was renovated during Nasir al-Din Shah's reign. Nasir al-Din Shah has taken another photo of the bridge during one of his European travels. The bridge is partially underwater and partially in ruins now." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "Albumen print, faded on the outer boundaries."
- On the mount, below the photographic print, handwritten caption (inked) in English reads, "Bridge of the Winds."
Arrangement:
Page five 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.05b
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.
