The English ambassador - transcript

[Christopher de Bellaigue] Sir Robert Sherley was an extraordinary man. He was one of three brothers born in provincial England in the late 16th century. In 1598 he followed his elder brother Anthony to Persia because they were lured by the idea of Persian wealth which had become well known. He went to Iran as an 18 year old, as a young, slightly pugilistic young blade. And he married a lady who was subsequently renamed Teresia.

As is pretty apparent from the pictures they make an extraordinary pair in England with the appearances that they have. Particularly the picture of Robert Sherley himself he is depicted in Persian costume, this was his work garb, because when he went out on ambassadorial missions the idea was to impress the people that you were going to see. There are a few concessions to western dress, particularly his collar and his cuffs, but basically his robe is inspired by Isfahani fashions of the day. The garment he’s wearing underneath is more retrospective it harks back to the 16th century. 

Her dress is equally interesting in that it is more faithful to Elizabethan fashion of the time, this very sort of pinched waist. One of the extraordinary things is that she’s holding a gun, which was fairly unheard of in female portraiture at the time. Sherley’s life was on several occasions in grave danger. And his wife, Teresia, on at least two occasions intervened at such moments and had role in saving his life. She is also holding a small ladies fob watch, which is probably an allusion to the very fashionable status that watches had in Iran at the time. People were astounded and amazed by these Western inventions.

What I think is reflected in these pictures is the sense of cultural intercourse and an exchange. Not simply one taking from the other. But an Englishman very proud, extremely proud, to be in the service of a Persian king. And none of the superior attitudes that you get later on in the 19th century. This is the time of a very frank and open admiration, one for the other, and a seeking of mutual interests.