Key Information

Photographer

Rabden Lepcha?

Collection

Sir Charles Bell

Date of Photo

March 21st 1921?

Region

Lhasa > Bangyeshar House

Accession number

1998.285.118.1

Image Dimensions

120 x 163 mm

Bangyeshar house in Lhasa, showing Palha Kenchen's living rooms. Two servants sitting in front of house. Dogs can be seen by front steps.

Further Information

Photographic Process

Negative glass plate gelatin , Negative Half Plate

Date Acquired

Donated 1983

Donated by

St Antony's College, Oxford.

Copy difference

Lantern

Expedition

Sir Charles Bell's Mission to Lhasa 1920-21

Photo also owned by

Royal Central Asiatic Society

Previous Catologue Number

See H.104

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

BL.H.104a

This Image also appears in another collection

1998.285.119

Published

'The People of Tibet', Sir Charles Bell, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1928 [view list of illustrations]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Bell's List of Illustrations entry for H.104: "[No. of chapter] XVI. [Subject of Chapter] The Aristocracy. [Subject of Illustration] H 104 (o) Bang-gye-shar house at Lhasa, showing Palha Kenchen's living rooms. [Remarks] L.75 [lantern slide 75]"

Other Information - Related Images

Other Information - Related Images: Bell does not distinguish in his List of Illustrations between H.104a and H.104b [1998.285.118 & 1998.285.119] and both images may be referenced by the caption for H.104. However, 1998.285.119 is a re-photograph of 1998.285.118 in which the centrality of the central gateway of the house and the verandah above is emphasised and the dog is cropped from the scene. The re-photography has been done carefully to ensure that the edges of the new image are symmetrically aligned against the peripheral window frames [MS 18/5/2004]

Contemporary Publication -

Contemporary Publication - Published in 'The People of Tibet', Bell, C. A., Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1928, facing p.94:"Bang-gye-shar Mansion, Lhasa". [MS 10/9/2004]

Other Information - Description: Bell's Diary Notes for 21.03.21: "Visited Bang-gye-shar house, in the eastern quarter of Lhasa with Palhese. It is in the usual pattern. Some of the rooms are let out to the monks of the Gyu-pa monastery on rent. I noted that in the kitchen the food is cooked not only for the family but for the upper servants, Treasurers, Stewards etc. also. The Treasurers (Chamdzo) have an office to themselves with two assistants, and the stewards have also an office to themselves. The ordinary records are fastened to pillars and walls, among these in the Steward's office is one detailing the butter lamps to be offered in the event of a Dalai Lama's death. The important records are locked away in strong chests. // The present occupants, the Palha Kenchen, occupies a large sunny room along one side of which are ranged a row of boxes piled one on the other. Some contain his clothes; others his stable requisites. There are practically no cupboards, the only one being below the altar holding articles of worship. In one verandah a school mainly for the sons of servants is held" [MS 1/6/2004]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Bangyeshar's house, Lhasa" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.285.118.1.html>.

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Bangyeshar's house, Lhasa