Foto van twee grote huizen in een grasveld met water [vijver] op de voorgrond, Iran c. 1885 - 1910

This photograph of two large houses in a grassy field with a pond in the foreground was taken in Iran by Antoine Sevruguin. Sevruguin, of Armenian, Georgian, and Russian descent, operated a commercial photography studio in Tehran from the 1870s until 1933. His photographs documented the people, architecture, and landscapes of Persia during a period of significant modernization and Western influence. Sevruguin's position as an outsider, yet integrated within the fabric of Iranian society, allowed him to capture a unique perspective on the transformations occurring. He navigated the complex dynamics of cultural exchange, and his photographs often reflect the intersection of tradition and modernity. Consider the identities of the people who might have lived in these houses, who might have passed by them, and what their lives might have been like. Sevruguin's work allows us to reflect on the personal experiences of a society undergoing considerable transformation. He prompts us to think about how societal changes shape individual lives and collective identities.