Representation of Power Relations in Court Photographs of the Naserid Era: A Case Study of 50 Photographs from the Album House of Golestan Palace

Court photography during the Naserid era served as a tool for consolidating and surveilling royal power, revealing how visual representation was intricately tied to the discourse of authority. A study analyzing 50 photographs from Golestan Palace's Album House demonstrated that the king was positioned as the central figure, often larger or more prominently framed than others, while servants and enslaved attendants were depicted in submissive poses, reinforcing a hierarchy of command. Naser al-Din Shah's annotations on the images—such as naming, correcting, or erasing individuals—further illustrated his absolute control over representation. The photographs functioned as visual archives, extending the king's surveillance beyond the palace walls. This research challenges the notion that photography captures 'naked reality,' instead framing it as a constructed truth shaped by power dynamics. The study employed qualitative methods, including visual and semiotic analysis, grounded in Foucault's theories of power and Tagg's concept of photographic evidence.

Farzadi, S., Khamseh, H., & Kolbadinejad, M. (2027). Representation of Power Relations in Court Photographs of the Naserid Era: A Case Study of 50 Photographs from the Album House of Golestan Palace. Journal of Historical Research, Law and Policy, 0(0), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.61838/jhrlp.364