Key Information

Photographer

Sir Charles Bell or Rabden Lepcha?

Collection

Sir Charles Bell

Date of Photo

1920-1921

Region

Lhasa > Norbu Lingka

Accession number

1998.286.215

Image Dimensions

78 x 103

Very large dog of the Apso breed belonging to the Dalai Lama at Lhasa

Further Information

Photographic Process

Negative Quarter Plate

Date Acquired

Donated 1983

Donated by

St Antony's College, Oxford

Expedition

Sir Charles Bell's Mission to Lhasa 1920-21

Previous Catologue Number

Q.202

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

BL.Q.202

Related Collections

British Library, Oriental and India Office Collections

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Bell's List of Illustrations entry: "[No. of chapter] XLIII. [Subject of Chapter] The Fauna [Subject of Illustration] Q202 (q) Very large dog of the Apso breed belonging to the Dalai Lama at Lhasa. Eyes, nose and mouth are entirely covered with the long hair distinctive of the Apso breed. As big as a Newfoundland dog.[Remarks] L221."

Other Information - Cultural Background

Other Information - Cultural Background: Bell's Diary entry for 3rd May 1921:"Riding today with Palhese an ap-so dog ( insert by Bell: these dogs are styled "Lhasa terriers" by the Kennel Club) runs by with ears like those of an Aberdeen terrier. Palhese tells me this is a defect, and gives some of the points as follows: Eyes should be large and covered with a curtain of hair. Ears should be large and hang down like those of a lion ( seng-ge ). Nose should be flat, like that of a lion ( seng-ge ). Hair should be thick and long, but not long enough to drag on the ground. it should fall just short of the ground. Size it should stand about 9 to 11 inches high at the shoulder. it should be fairly long in the body. Colour the colours most preferred are black or white or black and white mixed." [Diary Vol X., p.46]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "13th Dalai Lama's Apso" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.286.215.html>.

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