Mozaffar El Din Shah
"His Britannic Majesty's Government and the Russian Government, having mutually engaged"
Anglo- Russian Convention of 1907 |
Fath Ali Shah
"The Kajjars are an eminently handsome race–at least the royal family are so–and not" Mary Woulf Sheil
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Mohammad Shah
"Au premier abord la personne de Mohammed-Schah me parut assez commune; il était gros, ramassé" Prince Alexis Soltikoff.
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Ahmad Shah
"The Government was perhaps correctly described as a constitutional monarchy, although" W. Morgan Shuster.
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Mahde Olia
"The Shah's mother is handsome, and does not look more than thirty, yet her real age must be" Lady Mary L. Woulfe Sheil
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Agha Mohammad Khan
"Agha Mahommed Khan was a man of inflexible resolution. On one occasion he was surprised at night" Mary L. Woulfe Sheil
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Mohammad Ali Shah
"Muhammad Ali was regarded by Russian officials as the best possible means for the" W. Morgan Shuster.
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Nasser El Din Shah
"L'ainé des fils de Mohammed-Schah, n'a que trois ans de plus que son frère. Il porte le titre" Prince Alexis Soltikoff
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Qajars in Perspective
All 8 pieces are acrylic on gessoed wood and metal. They all measure approximately 77 x 9.5 x 12 inches/195.60 x 24.15 x 30.50 cm. All pieces were completed in 2013.
These pieces were created after reading some of the 19th centuries travelogues and the Anglo Russian Convention of 1907.
The quotes on the pieces are taken from travelogues or the 1907 Anglo Russian Convention and refers to the Qajar ruler depicted in the sculpture. The quotes are voluntarily unfinished to hopefully bring an interest for the full reading of the travelogue or Convention. The series is called "in perspective" because the kings are viewed from a westerner point of view. The mold of the shoe was chosen to represent the travelers' shoe, the need for each Qajar’s face to "fit in" a Persian ruler from the perspective of the Western author. In Mozaffar El Din Shah's case I thought that the Convention was the most important "perspective" on his reign. The sun on the base is childishilly drawn as a rebellion against the perfectly geometrical suns that were used in original flags and stamps of the Qajar era. The head of the king has artificially taken the position of the sun and vice versa as a metaphor to the relationship between kings and God. The industrialized stand is meant to show the unease relationship between the natural space and place of kings and the westerner perspective. The author of the quote is mentioned on the back of the piece. These pieces are hopefully meant to intrigue the observer about Persia under the Qajar reign and it's relationship with the west.
Lady Mary Leonore Woulfe Sheil was the second wife of British lieutenant colonel Justin Sheil. Her book Glimpses of life and manners in Persia was published in 1856.
Prince Alexis Soltikoff was a Russian Prince and painter who travelled to Persia in the 19th century. His book Voyage en Perse was published in 1851.
W. Morgan Shuster was an American custom collector who was appointed by the Persian national parliament (madjles) as Treasurer of Persia during Ahmad Shah's reign. His book The Strangling of Persia was published in 1912.
The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 is an agreement relating to the partition of Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet. It was signed on August, 31 in St. Petersburg.
These pieces were created after reading some of the 19th centuries travelogues and the Anglo Russian Convention of 1907.
The quotes on the pieces are taken from travelogues or the 1907 Anglo Russian Convention and refers to the Qajar ruler depicted in the sculpture. The quotes are voluntarily unfinished to hopefully bring an interest for the full reading of the travelogue or Convention. The series is called "in perspective" because the kings are viewed from a westerner point of view. The mold of the shoe was chosen to represent the travelers' shoe, the need for each Qajar’s face to "fit in" a Persian ruler from the perspective of the Western author. In Mozaffar El Din Shah's case I thought that the Convention was the most important "perspective" on his reign. The sun on the base is childishilly drawn as a rebellion against the perfectly geometrical suns that were used in original flags and stamps of the Qajar era. The head of the king has artificially taken the position of the sun and vice versa as a metaphor to the relationship between kings and God. The industrialized stand is meant to show the unease relationship between the natural space and place of kings and the westerner perspective. The author of the quote is mentioned on the back of the piece. These pieces are hopefully meant to intrigue the observer about Persia under the Qajar reign and it's relationship with the west.
Lady Mary Leonore Woulfe Sheil was the second wife of British lieutenant colonel Justin Sheil. Her book Glimpses of life and manners in Persia was published in 1856.
Prince Alexis Soltikoff was a Russian Prince and painter who travelled to Persia in the 19th century. His book Voyage en Perse was published in 1851.
W. Morgan Shuster was an American custom collector who was appointed by the Persian national parliament (madjles) as Treasurer of Persia during Ahmad Shah's reign. His book The Strangling of Persia was published in 1912.
The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 is an agreement relating to the partition of Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet. It was signed on August, 31 in St. Petersburg.