Studio Portrait of Zill al-Sultan, One of 274 Vintage Photographs

late 19th-early 20th century

The gentleman photographed here is Zill al-Sultan (1850–1919), the governor of Isfahan and the brother of Muzaffar al-Din Shah. Sevruguin’s portraits often show the subjects posed as for a painting, dressed in characteristic attire. Attributes such as the elaborate, feathered helmet, hilted sword, and uniform studded with medals and the Imperial Order of the Lion and Sun underline the sitter’s military identity and high status. The photographer’s signature can be found to the right of the photograph in Cyrillic script.