Photograph of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar, Shah of Persia (modern-day Iran): half-length portrait, seated, wearing a military coat studded with many diamonds or stones, and at least one insignia star, epaulettes and sash decorated with stones, and a square hat with jewels, called a darya-ye noor. A cermonial curved sword lies on his lap. Signed in his hand (in Persian) on the mount: ‘Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar’. Annotated on verso: Shah / of / Persia / 1874.

This photograph was probably taken and printed during the Shah's visit to Russia in May 1873. He visited Queen Victoria later in 1873, the first Persian ruler to ever visit Britain. See RCINs 2915329, 2915330 and 2915331 for other photographic portraits of the Shah, and RCIN 403888 for an enamel on porcelain copy of a photograph of the same sitter.