Tehran (Iran): Darvaza Dawlat Gate, Northeast City Gate, with Alborz Mountain Range in Background

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Object Details

sova.fsa.a.04_ref10330

GUID

Local Numbers: FSA A.4 2.12.GN.37.12
General: Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.

Creator: Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933
Names: Islamic Archives; Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933; Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970
Collection Creator: Smith, Myron Bement, 1897-1970

Place: Asia; Iran; Tehran (Iran)

Topic: Architecture

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, 21.7 cm. x 17.3 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.37.12

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 37."

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

Genre/Form: Glass negatives

Scope and Contents: "The structure dates to Nasir Al-Din Shah's time. After the expansion of Tehran, which started in 1867, six gates were added to the city walls of Tehran, one of the most elaborately designed one of which was Darvaza Dawlat. The gate was built in 1871 by Mohammad Rahim Khan 'Ala al-Dawla (Amir Nizam). and at least until the end of 1870s, it had the central archway facing the city and the goat heads of the central top piece on its other side, facing outside the city. During a reconstruction in 1880s the archway of the internal side, along with the goat-heads of the external side were removed. Located on the north side of the wall, Darvaza Dawlat, along with Shimiran and Yusif Abad Gates, marked the northern boundaries of the city. The view of the gates usually differed from the side facing the city to the side facing the outside. Almost all of the twelve gates of the city were torn down during the later expansion of Tehran in 1930s. The photograph depicts the gate in the background of piles of stone and herds of sheep immediately outside the city of Tehran." [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 broken. Portions of the left bottom corner are missing."; - Handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "98."; - Scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "1411."; - Handwritten information on slip of paper (from a 1943-1944 cash book, produced by the Bathni Brothers, Tehran) reads, "138) Darvazeyi Dowleh." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information]; - Myron Bement Smith handwritten caption in English reads, "47.P; Box 37.12: Tehran. Darwazeyi Dowlati (# 217)." [Myron Bement Smith Collection, Subseries 2.1: Islamic Archives History, Collection Information; Box 60; Folder 44: 47 P: Antoine Sevruguin, glass negatives, Iran]