Portret van twee mannen: een gevangene en een bewaker, Iran c. 1885 - 1910

This photograph of a prisoner and guard was taken in Iran by Antoine Sevruguin, sometime between 1870 and 1930. Sevruguin was one of the most successful commercial photographers in Iran during this period. This albumen print, created from a glass negative, speaks volumes about the social conditions of the time. Photography was both an artistic medium and a tool for documentation, often used by colonial powers to record and categorize the people they encountered. In this image, the stark contrast between the guard, armed and in uniform, and the chained prisoner highlights the power dynamics at play. Sevruguin’s work reveals much about labor, class, and the gaze of the camera. The very act of capturing this scene, the choices of composition and subject matter, reflect a particular viewpoint. It’s a reminder that every photograph is not just a record, but an interpretation of the world.