An Armenian married couple from Tiflis, 1912

The photograph shows an Armenian married couple from Tiflis (Tbilisi) in 1912. The man is seated, in classic European dress: a dark suit, waistcoat and tie. The woman stands beside him with her hand on his shoulder. She wears a dress combining the Armenian and urban styles of the time, with dark trim and dark ornaments on the bodice, and chains and a pendant around her neck. At the sides is studio furniture: a round table with a vase of flowers and a chair.

Their gazes convey the self-awareness and confidence in the future of an Armenian family standing on the threshold of a new century.