Lezende leerlingen en volwassenen op de binnenplaats van een school in Perzië c. 1880 - 1895

This photograph was taken in Persia, likely in the late 19th century, by Antoine Sevruguin. Sevruguin, who ran a commercial photography studio, made this gelatin silver print. The choice of photography as a medium is significant, as it was a relatively new technology at the time, and it allowed for a new level of realism in visual representation. The print itself is small and monochrome, emphasizing texture, and form. The photograph captures a scene of students and adults reading in a school courtyard. The image provides insight into the social and cultural context of education in Persia during that era. Sevruguin captured a society undergoing modernization and westernization, where photography played a crucial role in documenting and disseminating images of Persian life to both local and international audiences. By focusing on the material and process of photography, we can appreciate Sevruguin's work not only as a visual document but also as a cultural artifact that reflects the complex interplay between tradition, modernity, and representation.