Sanjari, Pooya
(2023)
Shahr-e farang: An Exploration of Spatial Dimension of an Iranian Peepshow Box.
Master of Philosophy thesis, University of Liverpool.
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Abstract
This city is the foreign city! It is all colourful! Watch it very carefully... These are the melodic lines of a man walking with a peculiar metal box on his shoulder through Tehran alleys in the late nineteen century. The showman invites the children to come and join him on a journey to faraway lands of the unknown by gazing through the lenses of his peepshow box. This thesis investigates the spatial aspects of Shahr-e farang, a unique peepshow box in Iran during the late 19th and early 20th century, by examining how emerging technologies historically shaped our understanding of physical, mental, and social spaces through mediated representations. Shahr-e farang is situated as an Iranian peepshow box within outdoor urban entertainment devices by analysing historical global media devices, including peepshows, moving panoramas, and magic lanterns. The research utilizes primary quantitative data, such as a physical examination of the device, to explore its undocumented functions and uses secondary data to trace any related materials to the device. By incorporating data from various media devices worldwide, the study establishes a comprehensive framework despite lacking extensive academic and historical sources specific to Shahr-e farang. Drawing from primary sources and empirical analysis, the thesis presents an alternative perspective on its emergence, proposing that it was informally introduced by city vendors and showmen and evolved into a pre-cinematic entertainment device for children and adults, challenging the notions of its emergence. This research sheds light on Shahr-e farang's origin, function, and cultural significance within the global context of space, image, and entertainment media. The proposed methodological framework contributes to Iranian media archaeology and extends its relevance to urban studies, architecture, and social sciences, highlighting the impact of early image-based devices on collective spatial perception.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master of Philosophy) |
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| Uncontrolled Keywords: | image consumption, peepshow, popular entertainment, Shahr-e farang, space |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of the Arts |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Aug 2023 09:31 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jan 2024 17:21 |
| DOI: | 10.17638/03171321 |
| Supervisors: |
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| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3171321 |
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