Iran’s royal history spotlighted at exhibition from today (September 17)

A unique digital exhibition is set to open today (September 17) at the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS), highlighting the rich visual legacy of Iran’s royal history against the backdrop of evolving regional politics.The two-day show, titled "Iran and the Changing Strategic Landscape of the Middle East”, is in collaboration between Qatar Museums (QM) and the ACRPS’ Iranian Studies Unit. It is presented as a key component of the Iranian Studies Unit Annual Conference.The exhibition draws upon the extensive holdings of QM’s General Collection to illuminate how Iran’s political image has been constructed and reinterpreted through the lens of its royal past, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.At the heart of the display are historic photographs, with a focus on the Qajar royal family and the journeys undertaken by Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar. These images underline the key role that royal portraiture and ceremonial photography played as instruments of diplomacy, statecraft, and symbolic exchange with European powers during this transformative period.Visitors will have the opportunity to compare photographs taken by Naser al-Din Shah himself between 1890 and 1900, offering a glimpse into the court’s ceremonies, palaces, and the Shah’s meticulous self-fashioning.From the opulent displays of Qajar diplomacy to the nascent stages of modern statehood, QM said these carefully curated images offer a rare and insightful lens through which to examine the continuities, ruptures, and transformations shaping Iranian state identity.According to QM, this royal perspective is compared with the prevailing realities of the time, including boycotts, debt diplomacy, and contested sovereignty, providing a nuanced understanding of Iran’s position on the global stage.Among the striking pieces featured is a photograph of the British Bank of Iran and the Middle East. Originally established in 1889 as the Imperial Bank of Persia, operating under a royal charter from London and a concession from Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, this institution served a dual role as Iran’s central bank of issue and an instrument of British financial influence.The exhibition traces the bank’s evolution, noting how rising Iranian nationalism and the establishment of the Iranian-controlled Bank Melli in 1928 led to restrictions on its operations, reflecting a shift in power dynamics and the rise of anti-colonial sentiment. The bank was renamed The British Bank of Iran and the Middle East in 1949 as it expanded its reach across the Gulf. Amidst mounting regional tensions, the bank ultimately withdrew from Iran by 1952, later becoming the British Bank of the Middle East and eventually being absorbed into the HSBC group.Other visual contributions to the exhibition include a portrait of members of the Royal court of Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, dating from approximately 1860-1869, and a general view of the Kasbine Hotel in Kasbine, a town situated along the route from Resht to Tehran, circa 1890-1900.QM noted that these pre-1979 revolution photographs capture crucial moments of diplomacy, ceremonial exchange, and statecraft from the late 19th century, a period when Qajar Iran actively engaged with European powers through symbolic and cultural diplomacy.The exhibition invites attendees to contemplate the intricate relationship between visual culture and Iran’s evolving role within the Middle East.