Landschap, "La route de Rescht", Iran c. 1885 - 1910

This photograph, titled "La route de Rescht, Iran," was taken by Antoine Sevruguin. It invites us to consider the politics of imagery in late 19th-century Iran. Sevruguin, though of mixed Russian and Armenian heritage, became a prominent photographer for the Qajar court. His work, including landscapes like this one, helped shape Western perceptions of Persia. But to what extent did these images reflect the realities of Iranian life, and to what extent did they cater to orientalist fantasies? The "Resht Road" itself was a vital trade route connecting Iran to Russia, a site of complex economic and political interactions. Sevruguin's photograph, in its serene depiction of the Iranian landscape, might obscure the social conditions that shaped its production: the economic ambitions of the Qajar dynasty, the encroachment of European powers, and the daily lives of the people who lived and worked along this road. To understand this image better, we must delve into the historical context: examining travelogues, diplomatic correspondence, and the writings of Iranian intellectuals who grappled with the challenges of modernity.