Portrait of Young Woman in Elaborate Costume

- On recto of the print, faded handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) reads, "751."

- On recto of the print, scratched handwritten number (inked, probably by Antoin Sevruguin) not readable.

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.

FSA A2012.04

Title and summary note are provided by Shabnam Rahimi-Golkhandan, FSg curatorial research specialist.

Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933

Sevruguin, Antoin, 1851-1933

Asia

Iran

Early Photography of Iran

Clothing and dress

headgear

Portrait photography

Women

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Gelatin silver prints

Photographic prints

Studio portraits

Portrait of Young Woman in Elaborate Costume. FSA.A2012.04. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.

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

Gelatin silver prints

Photographic prints

Studio portraits

Collection is open for research.