Key Information

Photographer

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Collection

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Date of Photo

September 10th 1936? January - February 1937?

Region

Lhasa > Lukhang

Accession number

1998.131.281

Image Dimensions

61 x 90 mm

Brahminy duck on the lake behind the Potala in which the Serpent Temple or Lukhang is situated. Bare trees surround the lake and the ducks can be seen gathered together in the centre

Further Information

Photographic Process

Print gelatin silver

Date Acquired

Donated 1994

Donated by

Faith Spencer Chapman

Expedition

British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37

Photo also owned by

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Revised Photographer

Not Chapman?

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

SC.T.2.281

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - 'F. S. Chapman' has been written on the back of the print in pencil. The print is made using Velox paper, which is identified by the trade name in an oval border. The number '631' has also been printed on the back of the print in red ink [MS 21/2/2005]

Other Information - Dates

Other Information - Dates: Although a date of September 10th 1936 has been suggested by contextual evidence [see 'Other Information - Description'] the internal evidence from this photograph suggests that it was taken at another time of year, possibly January or February 1937 [MS 17/03/2006]

Other Information - Description: Chapman describes visiting the 'Snake Temple' on September 10th 1936 in the official Mission Diary. He further described the lake in his publication Lhasa the Holy City [London: Chatto & Windus, 1938; reprint, London: Readers Union Ltd., 1940]: "The Ling-kor follows the wall of the Snake Temple and of the flooded reed-covered enclosure alongside. On the left are marshes where grow some of the typical Lhasa willows with gnarled spiral-twisted trunks. This is a favourite haunt for birds; in September we would see flocks of literally hundreds of pintail, shoveller, mallard, pochard, and teal, together with the ubiquitous bar-heads and Brahminy ducks" [1940, p.165] [MS 1/4/2005]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Lake near the Serpant Temple, or Lukhang , Lhasa" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.281.html>.

For more information about photographic usage or to order prints, please visit the The Pitt Rivers Museum.