Photos of wives of the Shah of Iran. Joke or taste?

In the 19th century there lived a Shah. Nasser al-DIN Shah Qajar, was the fourth Shah of Iran from the Qajar dynasty.

He had a European education, traveled a lot and was passionate about photography. At the Palace there was a photo Studio where the Russian photographer Anton Vasilyevich Sevryugin worked.
And he was allowed to photograph the ruler of Iran himself! For a Muslim country, this is more than surprising and inexplicable!

But there's more. There is a mystery connected with this Shah. It's connected to his harem. There are photos of the alleged wives of the Shah. But no one except him had the right to see this harem! Who took pictures? It is claimed that the Shah himself. He learned this from a Russian photographer.

There is even a photograph of the Shah and the harem, made through a mirror and it is clear that the device is someone similar to the Shah.

Photo concubine with eunuch, too, could well be made by the Shah.

But there are photos that raise questions: is it the Shah's wife? Like this picture.

Or another photo of one of the wives.

Of course, tastes differ and it is quite possible that these are really women who attracted Shah. But there is another version. That it's male actors, portraying women.

Kind of like the Shah was a lover of the theater and allowed these jokes.

But there is another picture of Anis al Shares have aged, and behind her is obviously the girl is quite pleasing appearance.

You can, of course, to say that it is disguised as a young man, but his hands are painfully feminine.
Indeed, it was a joke of the Shah or adoration of mustachioed women – history can not answer. For a long time there are no living witnesses and more than one generation has lived their lives since then.
We can only guess and wonder looking at old photos. I do not know whether to assess the subtle humor of the ruler of Iran or sympathize with him.)