Key Information

Photographer

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Collection

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Date of Photo

December 10th 1936

Named Person

Evan Nepean

Region

Lhasa > Dekyi Lingka

Accession number

1998.131.445

Image Dimensions

159 x 109

Portrait of Nepean, a member of the British Mission, in army uniform. Head and shoulders with eyes closed.

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

Previous Catologue Number

BH.11 [view film roll]

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

SC.T.2.445

This Image also appears in another collection

2001.35.268.1 2001.35.381.1

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - 'BH 11' has been written on the back of the print in pencil [MS 25/03/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Caption in Chapman's hand-written list of negatives made whilst on the Mission to Lhasa, 1936-7 [See PRM Manuscripts Collection]: 'Nepean v. [ticked by FSC]' [MS 25/03/2006]

Exhibition - This image appeared in the 2003 Temporary Exhibition at the Pitt Rivers "Seeing Lhasa: British Depictions of the Tibetan Capital 1936-1947"

Research publication - Clare Harris and Tsering Shakya (eds.), 'Seeing Lhasa: British Depictions of the Tibetan Capital 1936-1947', Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2003, p.152.

Biographical Information - Evan Nepean (1909-2002) was a member of the Royal Corps of Signals and was posted to Lhasa in 1936 to work for Gould. Along with Dagg his job was to set up and operate the portable wireless which the British took with them. This had a great impact in curbing the power of the Chinese Mission as it provided another route through which information could be sent into and out of Lhasa. As well as this Nepean and Dagg were in charge of entertainment setting up PA systems and film shows for the various Tibetans with whom the British interacted. He was also an amateur photographer often accompanying and assisting Spencer Chapman on his photographic excursions. Nepean compiled a personal album of photographs from his time in Lhasa. He was only in the city for three months before being re-posted. [CH 2003]

Other Information - Related Images

Other Information - Related Images: Images prefixed with 'BH.' comprise a group of negatives containing images of Officials, a Khampa man, Sir Basil Gould and various personnel on the Mission in 1936-7. They all seem to have been taken on or just prior to December 10th 1936. On the occasion of this photograph it seems that the Mission staff were all having their portraits taken in formal dress prior to an official visit to Kundeling Monastery to see the 'Disease Chasing Ceremony'. [MS 16/03/2006]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Evan Yorke Nepean" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.445.html>.

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