Who’s on First?

Plays.  Musicians. Jugglers. Comedians. Entertainment has existed in every culture going back to the traveling bards and troubadours of old. These photographs give us a little peak into what entertainment looked like in Japan and Iran during the late 19th to the early 20th century.

Japan: Twelve Woman Ensemble.

Iran:  Arpee Album: Photograph of Musicians and Dancer [graphic]

Iran:  Arpee Album: Photograph of the Nakkara Khana [graphic]

Iran:  Photograph of Street Performers [graphic]

Tehran, Iran:  Royal Puppet Show [graphic]

Japan:  Women playing music and dancing.

Kyoto, Japan: Female musicians on stage with Japanese and American flags, likely at a musical presentation.

Lara Amrod, Archivist

Freer|Sackler Archives