Qajar Persian Photography and Royal Interiors: E. Sangleboeuf's Hand Colored Albumen Photograph of a Tehran Palace, 1887

Palace in Teheran Iran

Photograph

Original hand-colored albumen photograph of a royal palace interior in Tehran, Iran, printed by E. Sangleboeuf in 1887 during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1848–1896). The image records the elaborate furnishings and architectural decoration associated with Qajar court interiors, including geometric window ornamentation, patterned carpets, upholstered seating, candelabras, and floral arrangements. Its carefully applied gouache coloring distinguishes individual architectural and decorative features, preserving a nineteenth-century photographic depiction of Persian royal interiors and the material culture of the Qajar court.

Sangleboeuf, E. (printer). Interior of a Palace in Tehran. 1887. Original albumen photograph heightened by hand with gouache, measuring 6.7" x 9", mounted on cardboard. The composition presents a richly furnished palace room with several seating areas, patterned rugs, candelabras, and seven floral arrangements. Geometric window decorations are highlighted in blue and green, while the furniture, carpets, and architectural details are selectively colored in red, brown, blue, gold, and grey. A small, apparently ornamental pool occupies the center of the room. The gouache additions emphasize the interior's decorative surfaces while retaining the photographic detail of the original albumen print.

The photograph dates from the reign of Naser al-Din Shah, an enthusiastic patron of photography who maintained a photographic establishment at the Qajar court. Photography became an established means of recording royal residences, palace ceremonies, and architectural interiors in nineteenth-century Iran. E. Sangleboeuf is also documented as a printer of hand-colored Persian photographs dated 1887, including work associated with the photographer Antoine Sevruguin. The combination of albumen photography and applied gouache in this example records both the palace's furnishings and the contemporary practice of enhancing photographic prints with color. Some age-related foxing; overall in very good condition.

Item #14535

Price: $285.00