The Blue Mosque hosts an exhibition of works by Iranian artist of  Armenian origin Antoine Sevrugin

ArmInfo. Within the framework of the First International Photo Exhibition of Armenia (Armenian International Photo Fest) in the Blue Mosque in Yerevan from August  31 to September 28, an exhibition of works by the great Iranian  photographer of Armenian descent Antoine Sevrugin (late XIX - early  XX centuries) is held.

"Unfortunately, there are very few sources and literature mentioning  the Armenian roots of the photographer," noted art critic Lilit  Tadzhalyan during a press conference, who has been studying the  genealogy of the Sevrugins since the mid-90s.

She said that Antoine's father, Vasily Sevrugin, worked at the  Russian Embassy in Iran, and for such a position he needed to change  his surname, or remove the ending "yan" inherent in Armenian  surnames.  Thus, the two generations of the Sevrugins did not bear  the Armenian surname, and only the son of Anutan, Andre, who is  considered a famous artist, again became Sevrugyan. Sevrugyan is also  the great-grandson of the great photographer Emmanuel, who donated  over 100 photographs of Antoine and Andre's paintings to the  Museum-Institute of Ancient Manuscripts "Matenadaran" in Yerevan. 

In general, speaking about the work of Antoine Sevrugin, the art  critic noted that at that time he was the only photographer who not  only perpetuated important events, but did it artistically. Sevrugin  was a personal photographer of the Shah, he was allowed to attend  private meetings and other important events, the entrance to which  other Iranian photographers was strictly prohibited. , - L. Tadzhalyan noted. She also said that with the  assistance of the Center of Culture of the Embassy of the Islamic  Republic of Iran in the Republic of Armenia, a catalog of works by  Antoine Sevrugin was published, which describes the photographs in  three languages - Armenian, English and Iranian.

In turn, Seyed Mohamad Reza Heydari, an adviser to the Center of  Culture of the Iranian Embassy in the Republic of Armenia, noted that  the choice of work for a separate exhibition of Anutan Sevrugin was  correct within the framework of the photo festival. "His photographs  are presented in many prestigious galleries in Europe and the world,"  he said. In addition, an adviser to the cultural center at the  Iranian Embassy in Armenia noted: .

It should be noted that within the framework of the photo festival,  which takes place at 39 exhibition venues in Yerevan and will last  until September 28, was held photo contest with the participation of  photographers from 20 countries. The first place was won by a  photographer from India, the second place was awarded to an Armenian  photographer, and the third place went to a photographer from Iran.