Looking more like a mild-mannered accountant in costume than the fierce chief of a people known for their fighting skills, this studio portrait shows a relaxed, poised gentleman, leaning against the studio-prop railing and looking straight into the camera. His no-doubt colorful clothing is a riot of patterns and shades. Only his handy dagger gives any clue that he might be ready to defend himself and his people with the ferocious tenacity for which the Kurds are famous.

This image was taken about 1885-90 by the Abdullah brothers. Abdullah frères, as they signed their work, were three Armenian brothers — Hovsep (died 1902), Vichen (died 1900) and Kevork (1839-1918), who owned a photographic studio in Instanbul. This image may be of a Turkish Kurd taken in their studio, or may be one of the many images they purchased from other photographers and marketed. The Abdulla brothers were official ‘Photographers of the Palace’ and were given Ottoman citizenship by the sultan.