During Naser o-Din Shah’s reign Western science, technology, and educational methods were introduced into Homeland and the country’s modernization was begun. Naser o-Din Shah tried to exploit the mutual distrust between Great Britain and Russia to preserve Homeland’s independence, but foreign interference and territorial encroachment increased under his rule. He contracted huge foreign loans to finance expensive personal trips to Europe.
He was not able to prevent Britain and Russia from encroaching into regions of traditional Persian influence. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries — during Iran’s Qajar dynasty (1789–1925) — photography became a new and intriguing art form among the royal court and urban elites. Among the many remarkable images that have survived from this period, a small but significant collection depicts women dressed in men’s clothing. These photographs, often taken in private studios or royal settings, challenge traditional ideas of gender, identity, and representation in a time of strict social norms.
