Key Information

Photographer

Philip Neame

Collection

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Date of Photo

August 28th 1936

Region

Lhasa > Shide Drokhang

Accession number

1998.131.524

Image Dimensions

165 x 110

The monk known to the British Mission as 'Simple Simon' who was an Attendant to the Regent, Reting Rinpoche. Seen here in the garden of the Regent's summer palace, Shide Drokhang. Another, unidentified monk stands alongside

Further Information

Photographic Process

Print gelatin silver

Date Acquired

Donated 1994

Donated by

Mrs Faith Spencer Chapman

Expedition

British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37

Photo also owned by

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Previous Catologue Number

[PN] S 21 In publication
'Lhasa Mission 1936, Diary of Events', P. Neame, H. Richardson, F. S. Chapman, Government of India Political Department [Note: photographs for October 18th - November 4th 1936 are not included as their relationship to text is not detailed; see Mission Diary text for details of images] [see photos in publication]
[PN] S 21 [view loan photo]

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

SC.T.2.524

This Image also appears in another collection

2006.1.36.21

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - 'G-21' has been written on the back of the print in pencil [MS 01/04/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Caption written in Brigadier Philip Neame's handwritten negative list: Film S1 (G) No. 21 - "Giant Lama" [Philip Neame Jnr and the Neame estate on loan to PRM 2006] [MS 01/04/2006]

Other Information - Description: The monk attendant known to the British as “Simple Simon”. Spencer Chapman describes this photographic session: “when we all went into the garden the Regent had no objection to being photographed, and it was all I could do to persuade his huge orderly (whom we nicknamed Simple Simon) to move about when I wanted to take some cinema films; he struck what he thought was an imposing attitude and resolutely refused to move.” In the 1936 Mission Diaries “Simple Simon” appears again: 28th August – Lhasa – in the morning they called upon the Regent at his home. “Neame and Chapman were allowed to take photos and cine of the Regent; amongst his attendants was a giant lama, some 7-feet high, and when Neame snapped him he began to talk and wave his arms. These were not threatening gestures as he was only asking for a copy of the photo”.

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Monk attendants to Reting Rinpoche" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.524.html>.

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Monk attendants to Reting Rinpoche