No scan for this photo
2001.59.14.10.2 (Contact Print)
2001.59.14.10.2 (Contact Print)
Hugh E. Richardson
Hugh Richardson
1948 - 1950
Gyantse >
2001.59.14.10.2
49 x 61 mm
Print silver
Donated August 2001
The executors of the estate of Hugh E. Richardson
Hugh E. Richardson
Notes on print/mount - 'Drongtse & Gyantse 1950' is written on the reverse of print in Richardson's hand in pencil. [KC 24/2/2006]
Other Information - Dates: The date 1950 found on the reverse of the print may be an error and 1948 - 50 may be more accurate. [KC 24/2/2006]
Other Information - Background: Richardson mentions this site in High Peaks, Pure Earth , London: Serindia Publications, 1998, p. 325, " ... the thriving town of Gyantse (Rgyal-rtse) (1936-50), well-placed for trade with both Shigatse (Gzhis-ka-rtse) and Lhasa and on the route to India. It is rich in art and architecture of the fifteenth century created by the Gtsang prince,Rab-brtan kun-bzang 'phags-pa. He enlarged and embellished the temple founded by his father near the rdzong which crowns the summit of the great rock overhanging the town. But his greatest achievements were the enlargement or virtual reconstruction of the Dpal-'khor Chos-sde temple and the building of the magnificent Sku-'bum mchod-rten (1936-50). The former is the heart of a community of monastic college residences spread over an extensive hillside enclosed by a fortified wall. Although the Sa-skya-pa scholl originally predominated, all other religious schools were represented here."
Other Information - Location: F Spencer Chapman describes the fortress at Gyantse in Lhasa: The Holy City, 1938, London: Chatto and Windus, "To reach the dzong we rode up and up a rough roadway. Massive wooden gates with crudely stuffed wild yaks and mastiffshanging in the rafters as emblems of ferocity.//... The dzong is full of small monasteries. ... The dzong which is half ruined, is built tier upon tier to the summit of the steep rock; ... Went right to the top. There are no staircases so that we had to pull the ladder up from roof to roof. ... Superb view:green barley fields, blue winding rivers, russet and sienna hills. The big monastery of Tse-chen lies on the southern side of a rocky hill a mile or two to the north-east." (pp. 54-5) [KC 11/2/2006]
For Citation use:
The Tibet Album.
"Gyantse"
05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum.
<http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_2001.59.14.10.2.html>.
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