Key Information

Photographer

Evan Yorke Nepean

Collection

Evan Yorke Nepean

Date of Photo

October - December 1936

Region

Lhasa > Yuthok Sampa

Accession number

2001.35.396.32.3

Image Dimensions

90 x 58 mm

The Yuthok Sampa or Turquoise bridge in Lhasa. An assistant appears to be holding a camera tripod on the right hand side of the image and another man, possibly Frederick Spencer Chapman is standing on the left in what appears to be a position to take photographs [see 1998.131.271.1 for a possibly related image]

Further Information

Photographic Process

Negative

Date Acquired

Loaned August 2002

Donated by

Judy Goldthorp

Expedition

British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37

Photo also owned by

Lady Nepean

This Image also appears in another collection

2001.35.153.1

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - 'The Turquoise Bridge, Green glazed tiles, entrance to Lhasa city'. [MS 30/07/2006]

Other Information - Cultural Background

Other Information - Cultural Background: The Yuthok Sampa (Turquoise Bridge) so named because of the turquoise glazed tiles on its roof. The Potala Palace is visible beyond. Spencer Chapman notes that beggars sat at each end of the bridge and that the same ones appeared each day: “a blind man with a tiny black beard and a small yellow dog, a wrinkled white-haired old woman, and two youngish men revolving prayer-wheels”. (1938:150) The original structure dates back to the 7th century but it is now destroyed [CH 2003]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Turquoise bridge in Lhasa" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_2001.35.396.32.3.html>.

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