1998.131.436 (Print black & white)
Raw Image
Frederick Spencer Chapman
Frederick Spencer Chapman
August 28th 1936?
Lhasa > Potala
1998.131.436
165 x 120
Print gelatin silver , Copy Negative
Donated 1994
Faith Spencer Chapman
British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37
Frederick Spencer Chapman
CN.28 [view film roll]
SC.T.2.436
BMR.86.1.23.2 2001.35.339.1
Notes on print/mount - 'CN/28' has been written on the back of the print in pencil [MS 25/03/2006]
Manual Catalogues - Caption in Chapman's hand-written list of negatives made whilst on the Mission to Lhasa, 1936-7 [See PRM Manuscripts Collection]: 'Prime Minister in garden' [MS 25/03/2006]
Technical Information - This photograph has been made by zooming in on a section of a landscape-format photograph in which the garden area visible is extended to either side and in which a servant can be seen standing on the left hand side [see Draft Mission Album on loan from the Gould Family for display in temporary PRM exhibition "Seeing Lhasa: British depictions of the Tibetan Capital", 2003-04]. Chapman took another photograph of the Prime Minister on this occasion, which is a close-up portrait [CN.29] in the same location. However, in this image, the Prime Minister looks unsmilingly at the camera, reflecting the more reserved behaviour towards the Mission staff that was recorded in the Mission Diary for this day [see 'Setting', below]. [MS 25/03/2006]
Other Information - Related Images: Images prefixed with 'CN' comprise a group of negatives containing images of flood waters on journey to Lhasa, views of flooded Kyi Chu valley, Norbhu, Gyaltsen, head syce and pony, Ladakhi traders, Parade guard of honour, Regent’s house, Regent, Prime Minister, Turquoise bridge, Potala. They all seem to have been taken between August 23rd - 28th 1936, with this particular image being taken on August 28th [MS 25/03/2006]
Other Information - Setting: Mission Diary entry for August 28th 1936: " [After visiting the Regent] We then went on to make a private call on the Prime Minister, where presents were also presented. He was not so easy to get on with and remained very much the official, seated on a ceremonial divan at a higher level than us. It is noticeable that the Regent himself, and all the Shapes when entertaining us have sat in the room with us, and have also given us European tea. Whereas the Longchen remained on ceremony and only gave us Tibetan tea" ['Lhasa Mission, 1936: Diary of Events', Part IV p. 2b, written by Neame] [MS 25/03/2006]
For Citation use:
The Tibet Album.
"Yapshi Langdun in his garden"
05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum.
<http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.436.html>.
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