Stadsgezicht, Kazrin [?], Iran c. 1880 - 1910

Antoine Sevruguin made this photograph, "Stadsgezicht, Kazrin, Iran", using a photographic process that was itself relatively new at the time. The image shows a vast array of packed goods, likely destined for trade or transport. Look closely at the labor implied here. Each of these packages would have to have been carefully assembled, wrapped, and tied, perhaps by different sets of hands, revealing the amount of work involved in the production and distribution process. The goods are clearly destined for somewhere else. In his view, the packed goods become a poignant symbol of Iran's shifting place in global trade networks, intertwined with social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. By emphasizing materials, making, and context, we challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, revealing the layers of meaning embedded within this photograph.