Iran’s Century of Change

The 19th century was a time of significant upheaval and change in Iran. Engagement with the West brought military, economic, technological, and cultural innovations to the country. The Qajars, who ruled Iran from 1785 to 1925, were of Turkmen origin and unified the country after decades of internal turmoil. As well as adopting many of the innovations that came from the West, they consciously revived local religious and artistic traditions, and their active patronage of Iranian religious customs, poetry, and the arts – initiatives aimed at legitimizing their rule – fostered a new national identity and laid the foundation for a modern nation state.

The Power of Art in Times of Change

The artifacts in Transforming Traditions: The Arts of 19th-Century Iran speak of a dynamic, creative, and sophisticated country challenged to navigate competing cultural dynamics. Some objects reflect the conscious revival of local traditions and convictions, while others tell of an enthusiastic adaptation of state-of-the-art ideas and technologies. Many of the objects represent a successful fusion of tradition and the latest trends of the time. The exhibition invites us to contemplate how art transforms and is transformed in any society faced with major change. It reminds us that to this day, around the world and here in Canada, artists and craftspeople respond to change in complex ways.