Additional information from Helmut Humbach and Prods O. Skjærvø's publication reads, "The ruin of the Sassanian monument of Paikuli is situated close to the southern ascent to the [Paikuli] pass. Originally, the monument consisted of a solid square tower. Four identical colossal busts of one and the same king of kings were built into the four walls. The western wall bore a large Middle-Persian inscription (eight rows of blocks, with a total of 46 lines), whereas the eastern wall bore the Parthian version of this (seven rows, with a total of 42 lines, all of them surviving in a fragmentary state). The subject of the inscription, carefully carved and written in perspective, is the quarrel over the succession, between Narseh (293-303) and Varahrān (293)." [Helmut Humbach and Prods O. Skjærvø's publication, 1980: "The Sassanian Inscription of Paikuli; Supplement to Herzfeld's Paikuli. Wiesbaden: Reichert; pp.13-16."]
Paikuli (Iran), Ruins of the Sasanian Monument: Plaited Hair and Palmettes Attached to the Crown of King Narseh [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-985
FSA A.06 05.0985
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
This Drawing may be related primarly to two expeditions to Paikuli (Iraq), in 1911 and 1913, as well an excavation campaign carried out on site by Ernst Herzfeld in 1923.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Additional information from Helmut Humbach and Prods O. Skjærvø's publication reads, "The ruin of the Sassanian monument of Paikuli is situated close to the southern ascent to the [Paikuli] pass. Originally, the monument consisted of a solid square tower. Four identical colossal busts of one and the same king of kings were built into the four walls. The western wall bore a large Middle-Persian inscription (eight rows of blocks, with a total of 46 lines), whereas the eastern wall bore the Parthian version of this (seven rows, with a total of 42 lines, all of them surviving in a fragmentary state). The subject of the inscription, carefully carved and written in perspective, is the quarrel over the succession, between Narseh (293-303) and Varahrān (293)." [Helmut Humbach and Prods O. Skjærvø's publication, 1980: "The Sassanian Inscription of Paikuli; Supplement to Herzfeld's Paikuli. Wiesbaden: Reichert; pp.13-16."]
Paikuli (Iran), Ruins of the Sasanian Monument: Rock Relief Depicting King Narseh [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-987
FSA A.06 05.0987
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
This Drawing may be related primarly to two expeditions to Paikuli (Iraq), in 1911 and 1913, as well an excavation campaign carried out on site by Ernst Herzfeld in 1923.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Original caption on verso reads, "Sāhpuhr III. T.i B."
Taq-i Bustan (Iran): Two Crown Types Worn by Sasanian Kings in Addition to Crown Worn by Shaphur III as Pictured in the Sasanian Rock Reliefs, Small Vault with Investiture Relief of Shaphur III [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-988
FSA A.06 05.0988
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Ernst Herzfeld first visited the site of Taq-i Bustan (Iran) in early August 1913 while on an expedition from Samarra (Iraq) to Asadabad (Hamadan, Iran). The drawing may be related primarly to this expedition as well as to additional visits to Taq-i Bustan (Iran) carried out by Ernst Herzfeld in 1917 and 1923 (end of June).
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Original caption on verso reads, "Abb. 10. Varhrān V."
Taq-i Bustan (Iran): Crown Worn by Shaphur III as Pictured in the Sasanian Rock Reliefs, Small Vault with Investiture Relief of Shaphur III [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-989
FSA A.06 05.0989
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Ernst Herzfeld first visited the site of Taq-i Bustan (Iran) in early August 1913 while on an expedition from Samarra (Iraq) to Asadabad (Hamadan, Iran). The drawing may be related primarly to this expedition as well as to additional visits to Taq-i Bustan (Iran) carried out by Ernst Herzfeld in 1917 and 1923 (end of June).
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Original caption on verso reads, "(Coll. Freer or Poltawa)."
Crown Type Worn by Sasanian King Shaphur II [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-990
FSA A.06 05.0990
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Original caption reads, "Hormizd im Taq i Bustan; Anahit im Taq i Bustan."
Taq-i Bustan (Iran): Sasanian Rock Reliefs, Upper Register of the Large Vault with Investiture Relief of Khusro II: Example of Crowns Worn by the God Ahura Mazda and the Goddess Anahita [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-991
FSA A.06 05.0991
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Ernst Herzfeld first visited the site of Taq-i Bustan (Iran) in early August 1913 while on an expedition from Samarra (Iraq) to Asadabad (Hamadan, Iran). The drawing may be related primarly to this expedition as well as to additional visits to Taq-i Bustan (Iran) carried out by Ernst Herzfeld in 1917 and 1923 (end of June).
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Original caption reads, "Khusrau II. Bist. [Bisutun]. Isf. [Isfahan]. T. i B [Taq i Bustan]."
Taq-i Bustan (Iran), Isfahan (Iran), and Bisutun Site (Iran): Detail of Crown Worn by Sasanian King Khusro II [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-992
FSA A.06 05.0992
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Ernst Herzfeld first visited the site of Taq-i Bustan (Iran) in early August 1913 while on an expedition from Samarra (Iraq) to Asadabad (Hamadan, Iran). The drawing may be related primarly to this expedition as well as to additional visits to Taq-i Bustan (Iran) carried out by Ernst Herzfeld in 1917 and 1923 (end of June).
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Sar Mashhad (Iran): Representation of the Queen Anahita, Drawn from Rock Reliefs Depicting King Bahram II in Heroic Combat, [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-996
FSA A.06 05.0996
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Representation of a King on Hephthalite Coins [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-998
FSA A.06 05.0998
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Original caption in German reads, "Kings enthroned, from coin devices."
Additional information reads, "Coins of the period directly after that of the Kūh-i Kwāja (kkuh-e kwajah) furnish amazing examples. These kings sprawl on their thrones in the most unmannerly way. Bevan calls it a charasteristic of the Greek to have the sense of proportion in behavior, which distinguishes what is seemly for the occasion and the person concerned. These figures are impossible in the Ancient East, they are imaginable only after the Greek influence had been at work. But the result is the loss of old dignity, the distortion of the new freedom into a caricature of ill behavior." [Ernst Herzfeld: Archaeological History of Iran. Published by the British Academy, by Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1935. pp.71-72, fig.9.]
Kings Enthroned, from Coin Devices [drawing]
Arrangement:
Drawings are arranged roughly in sequential number sequences, housed in document boxes or in flat file folders by size, and stored in the map case drawers.
Local Numbers:
D-1141
FSA A.06 05.1141
General:
- Title is provided by Xavier Courouble, FSg Archives cataloger, based on Ernst Herzfeld original drawings'caption and Joseph Upton's Catalogue of the Herzfeld Archive.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
"The photo depicts Nasir al-Din Shah standing in the mountainous region of Shimiran, north of Tehran. The Shimiran waterfall was one of the favorite leisure destinations of the Qajar king close to the city of Tehran. Nasir al-Din Shah's velvet covered short seat is at his foot and four of his attendants are in the background of the image. While the king looks away from the camera into the distance the attendants engage the gaze of the camera and the viewer. The photo must have been taken in the later years of Nasir al-Din Shah's reign." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "333) Nasr Din Shah at Abshar-Shimran. [Marked with unidentified seal]." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 13.333: Nasr u Din Shah. At Abshar, Shimran." [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 13."
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.13.01
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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
"Kakh-i Sahibqaraniyya (Sahibqaraniyya palace complex) was built on the orders of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar and by Yahya Khan-i Mushir al-Dawla in 1879. The complex was located in the then village of Niavaran, which is in the northeast side of the current city of Tehran. The 1879 construction of the palace added to and expanded the small palace complex which was built on the site during Fath Ali Shah's reign and maintained during Mohammad Shah's time after his father. Nasir al-Din Shah expanded the original plan to build one of th emost elaborate summer residences of both Qajar and Pahlavi kings in the next 70 years. The palace has since gone through multiple and extensive rounds of renovations and expansions. The photo depicts the king in the main room of the palace while he is listening to a report read to him by Mohammad Baqir Khan-I Adib al-Mamalik, the scribe and reader to the king. Mohammad Baqir Khan published Iran's first newspaper, called Khulasa al-Havadith." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1191."
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "The negative is brown all over. There is a spreading stain on the lower right edge."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "332) Nasri Din Shah, Firman. [Marked with unidentified seal}." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 13.332: Nasr u Din Shah. Firman." [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 13."
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.13.03
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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
Tehran (Iran): Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace): Wedding Ceremony of Aziz al-Sultan (Malijak-i Duvvom) and Akhtar al-Dawla, Nasir Al-Din Shah's Daughter
"The photograph is of a group of guests - religious figures - attending the wedding ceremony of Akhtar al-Dawla- Nasir al-Din Shah's daughter - and Aziz al-Sultan. Aziz al-Sultan is 16 on the occasion of the his wedding. The ceremony was amongst the most elaborate and expensive weddings of the time. The photo is taken from inside the Baharistan complex also called Imarat-i Muayyir al Mulk. The same building later houses the newly established national assembly of Iran. Dishes of pastry fill the glass tables in front of the guests who are - as per the common practice of the time - sitting in a row on the carpet. The photographer has managed to capture the attention of almost all the guests who directly engage the gaze of the camera." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1134."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "440) Mullahs about to eat." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 13.440: Mullahs about to eat." [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 13."
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.13.10
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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
"Nasir al-Din Shah is depicted in almost the centre of the image on horseback and under the umbrella. On the white horse on the king's right side Aziza al-Sultan can be seen on horseback. The king and his entourage are probably on their way to Dasht-I Lar, one of the usual hunting spots of Nasir al-Din Shah." [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 sky is reddened all the way down to the mountain range."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 14.10: People." [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 14."
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.14.10
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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
"During the reigns of the first four kings of Qajar dynasty, what is now known as the Salam ceremony had gradually gained a special ceremonial function and was conducted with considerable care and through strict observance of specific rituals. During the ceremony the courtiers, military officials, European officials accompanied, in some cases and in the earlier days of Fath Ali Shah's reign, by the general population would attend the ceremony and paid their respects - or in this case their Nowruz greetings- to the residing Qajar King. The placement of everything from the king's hooka and small seating place on the throne to the arrangement of the different official and military groups in the garden were predetermined and following the traditions set in the earlier days of Qajar dynasty. The photo depicts a close up of part of the Salam ceremony in which the court and military officials would approach the throne's balcony and pay their respects to the king. The two figures at the back of the image and in front of the tree are Kamran Mirza - Nasir al-Din Shah's son- and Aziz al-Sultan. The figure in the foregournd - identified as Nizam al-Mulk (b.1830-d.1889) - blocks the view to the event in the background of the image which has captured the attention of Kamran Mirza and a few other attendants on either sides of the scene. The photo is most probably taken during the Salam ceremony, as part of the Nowruz festivities in the palace." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "The glass negative is chipped off on the right and the bottom sides."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 15.2: Military review." [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 15."
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.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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
"Talar-I Takht or Throne room of Gulistan palace housed the famous Peacock throne and was the offical reception room of the palace. The photo is taken from the middle of the room and in the opposite direction of the entrance, facing the throne at the far end. The room is depicted empty with only one attendant whose reflection is visible in the mirror to the left side the throne. The walls and tables on the either sides of the hallway are decorated with paintings and objects that could be the valuable gifts of the visitors to the Qajar court." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "The glass negative is chipped off on the right and the bottom sides."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 15.3: Tehran. Golestan Palace. Throne room." [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 15."
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.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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
"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 Takht-i Tavoos or 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 celebrations - 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. Takht-i Tavoos or Peacock Throne, along with a bust of Nasir Al-Din Shah are the focal points of the photograph. In the left corner of the image, a partial silhouette of the photographer is reflected in the mirror behind the Throne. The sideview of the Throne allows for the details of metalwork on the round mirror at the far back of the throne to be visible." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "943."
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "The glass negative is chipped off on the right and the bottom sides."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 15.9: Tehran. Golestan Palace. Throne room (broken)." [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 15."
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.15.09
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.
"The relief is the first one from the left in the site, marking the precedence of the Sassanian dynasty. The photograph is most probably taken in the mid-day sun as the deep shadows under the horses - particularly that of the king - give volume to the relief." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1183."
- FSg curatorial research specialist remark on Antoin Sevruguin photo condition reads, "The glass negative is broken."
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 15.11: Sassanian 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 15."
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.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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
"The image depicts Muzaffar al-Din Shah Qajar (b.1853-d.1906) on horseback and amongst a group of court attendants in Maydan-i Mashq. Maydan-i Mashq in Tehran was constructed during the reign of Fath Ali Shah Qajar and expanded and renovated during Nasir al-Din shah's reign and on the orders of Mirza Mohammad Khan Sipahsalar. The square was noted as the biggest one of its kind in Tehran." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1149."
- Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "650."
- Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "Nasr ed Din + Court." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 16.7: Nasr ud Din and court." [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 16."
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.16.07
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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
"Depicted most probably in one of his short trips outside the city of Tehran, Nasir al-Din Shah is sitting in the far end of the image, looking directly at the camera. Aziz al-Sultan is standing on the right side of the king and Aziz Khan-I Khaja is the taller figure at the edge of the tent on the left side of the king and the right side of the image. The courtiers and cooks of the palace, in the company of the king in such trips are shown preparing for a meal. In front of the row of kitchen staff, trays of ingrediates are laid out in two rows, with small cups into each, probably used for measuring the ingrediants before taking them to the cooking stations, outside the tent." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]
- Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 17.2: Shah in tent." [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 17."
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.17.02
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.
The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
