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Antione Sevruguin
Shimiran (Iran): Nasir Al-Din Shah at Abshar-i Shimiran (Shimiran's Waterfall)
1880-1930
Glass negative
17.8 x 12.8 cm
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
Myron Bement Smith Collection: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith, 1973-1985, Local number: FSA A.4 2.12.GN.13.01
LL/58577
Title and Summary notes are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg research specialist.
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.
"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]
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