Object Details
- Local Numbers
- FSA A.4 2.12.GN.33.08
- General
- Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.
- Creator
- Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933
- Names
- Islamic Archives
- Kākh-i Gulistān (Tehran, Iran)
- Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933
- Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970
- Collection Creator
- Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970
- Place
- Asia
- Iran
- Tehran (Iran)
- Topic
- Early Photography of Iran
- Topic
- Palaces
- Royalty (Nobility)
- Thrones
- Creator
- Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933
- See more items in
- Myron Bement Smith Collection
- Myron Bement Smith Collection / Series 2: The Islamic Archives / 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs / 2.12.01: Glass Plate Negatives / Glass Plate Negatives: Sets 1-61
- 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.
- Extent
- 1 Glass negative (b&w, 23.7 cm. x 17.7 cm.)
- Date
- 1880-1930
- Archival Repository
- Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
- Identifier
- FSA.A.04, Item FSA A.4 2.12.GN.33.08
- Type
- Archival materials
- Glass negatives
- Collection Citation
- The Myron Bement Smith Collection, FSA A.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Katherine Dennis Smith.
- 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 33."
- Collection Rights
- Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
- Existence and Location of Copies
- Albumen print numbered FSA A.15 01; available in Jay Bisno Collection of Sevruguin Photographs, 1969-1985.
- Bibliography
- The Crown Jewels of Iran, Tehran: Bank Markazi Iran, 1973, p:18-20
- Genre/Form
- Glass negatives
- Scope and Contents
- "The throne visible in the image is what is commonly referred to as Nadiri Throne. The construction of the throne, however, is firmly attributed to Fath Ali Shah Qajar (1798-1834), as the inscriptions around the base of the throne make explicit. The throne is inlaid with 26,733 gems and its measurements are as followed: 98 centimeters long, 96 centimeters broad, 117 centimeters to the arm-set and 217 centimeters at the back. For ease of movement, the throne was originally built in 12 separate pieces to be assembled and dis-assembled when needed. The pieces are all covered in sheets of gold and inlaid with precious stones, consisting - mostly - of emeralds and rubies." [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 image seems to be a copy print of another photo."
- - Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "258."
- - Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) not readable.
- - Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "285) Summer residence." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]
- - Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 33.8: Summer residence. Throne." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]
- Collection Restrictions
- Collection is open for research.
- Record ID
- ebl-1585218933221-1585218933922-3
