Tehran (Iran): Kakh-i Gulistan (Gulistan Palace Complex), Talar-i Salam or Talar-i Takht (Throne Room): Takht-I Tavoos or the Peacock Throne

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.

View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Object Details

sova.fsa.a.04_ref10303

GUID

Local Numbers: FSA A.4 2.12.GN.35.10
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: Palaces; Qajar dynasty, -- Iran, -- 1794-1925; 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, 18.7 cm. x 24.3 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.35.10

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 35."

Collection Rights: Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.

Existence and Location of Copies: Glass negative numbered FSA A.4 2.12.GN.37.10; available in Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.12: Antoin Sevruguin Photographs.

Genre/Form: Glass negatives

Scope and Contents: "The photograph depicts the famous Peacock throne of Gulistan palace in the throne room or Talar-i Salam. 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 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 celebration - 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.Talar-I Takht or Throne room of Gulistan palace housed the famous Peacock throne and was the offical reception room of the palace. Located on the northwest side of the complex, the room was initially designed as a museum but was later known for its primary use as the official reception room of the palace. The construction of the new complex and the throne room staretd in 1874 and concluded two years later in 1876. It was then decorated with the extensive collection of foreign gifts and local/Iranian artefacts of the palace. The room is currently used as a museum as well." [Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Curatorial Research Assistant]; - Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "303."; - Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "637."; - Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 35.10: Unknown, cracked." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]