Studio Portrait of Mozaffar al-Din Shah in Informal Attire, One of 274 Vintage Photographs

This informal portrait of Muzaffar al-Din Shah (r. 1896–1907) has been attributed to ‘Abdallah Qajar, who served as a court photographer to Nasir al-Din Shah. He later headed the photography department at the Dar al-funun, a European-inspired institution of higher learning where artists learned how to produce portraits in various media and traditions. ‘Abdallah Qajar also owned a commercial studio next to the Dar al-funun, which suggests that there was a market for photography outside of the court. The artist’s repertoire consists mostly of landscapes and portraits of high-ranking officials and royal family members. Here, Muzaffar al-Din Shah’s informal attire is emphasized by a couple of unbuttoned buttons on his overcoat.