1998.131.135 (Contact Print)
Raw Image
Frederick Spencer Chapman
Frederick Spencer Chapman
August 2nd 1936
Chumbi Valley Region > Kargyu
1998.131.135
61 x 88 mm
Print gelatin silver
Donated 1994
Faith Spencer Chapman
British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37
Frederick Spencer Chapman
CA.31 [view film roll]
SC.T.2.135
Notes on print/mount - 'CA.31' has been written on the back of the print in pencil, as has another number in the bottom elft hand corner ['135?] which is partially indecipherable. The caption 'The Wheel of Life Wall painting in Yatung Monastery' has also been written on the back. This is an error, although Chapman may have later referenced it in this way because of the close proximity of Kargyu to Yatung [MS 09/03/2006]
Manual Catalogues - Caption in Chapman's hand-written handlist of negatives taken whilst on the Mission to Lhasa, 1936 [See PRM Manuscripts Collection]: 'Photo of wheel of life painting [Kargyu Monastery]'; Manuscript archive PRM: ‘List of Tibetan Prints and Negatives’ - Book 4: ‘23/3 - The Wheel of Life. Farnons symbolical Buddhist painting’ [MS 09/03/2006]
Other Information - Related Images: This image was included in the draft album prepared in Lhasa during the 1936 Mission, from which the official record of photographs was selected. It is one of a group of negatives containing images of the Residency, Gangtok and the Mission party preparing to go to Lhasa, the Maharanee of Sikkim, journey near Karponang, Changu Lake, Champithang and Chumbi Valley, Kargyu monastery and Yatung. At the top of the list is the comment ‘8, 9, 13, 17, 19, 20, 28, 31, 33, 36, 37 already enlarged 4x6. 3 copies’ [MS 09/03/2006]
Other Information - Setting: "[The Abbot of Kargyu] was extremely affable and gave us tea, cakes made with maize-meal, and russet apples grown in the valley below. The room was painted everywhere with vivid colours, and on the two walls were richly coloured religious paintings hanging in frames of silk brocade. One side of the room was filled with holy books and innumerable images of Buddha in gaily coloured pigeon-holes" ['Lhasa: The Holy City', F. Spencer Chapman, London: Chatto & Windus, 1938, p.26]
For Citation use:
The Tibet Album.
"Wheel of Life, Kargyu Monastery"
05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum.
<http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.135.html>.
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