Key Information

Photographer

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Collection

Hugh E. Richardson

Date of Photo

November 23rd 1936

Region

Lhasa Area > Shingdonka

Accession number

BMR.86.1.35.4

Young incarnate lama in the Regent's procession on the occasion of the Regent's return to Lhasa from Samye. The lama is seated on a tall wooden saddle and dressed in monk's clothes but with a hat ornamented in turquoise and gold. His horse is led by a monk servant. A telegraph pole appears to be standing on the centre right of the image in the background

Further Information

Photographic Process

Print gelatin silver

Expedition

British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37

Photo also owned by

Donated to the British Museum in 1986 by Hugh E. Richardson

Previous Catologue Number

C.13.18 In publication
'Lhasa Mission 1936, Diary of Events', P. Neame, H. Richardson, F. S. Chapman, Government of India Political Department [Note: photographs for October 18th - November 4th 1936 are not included as their relationship to text is not detailed; see Mission Diary text for details of images] [see photos in publication]

Related Collections

F. S. Chapman Collection in the Pitt Rivers Museum

This Image also appears in another collection

1998.131.527

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - The back of the print is covered in crop marks and reproduction instructions. The reference 'C.13.18' has been written on the back of the print in pencil, as has the caption "Tiny incarnation lama in the Regent's procession". A thin piece of paper has been stuck across the top back edge of the print and folded over the front of the image. This was used for transferring cropping and reproduction instructions. The caption has been repeated on this piece of paper. [MS 01/04/2006]

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]: 'Tiny incarnation lama led on horse '; PRM Manuscripts Collection: ‘List of Tibetan Prints and Negatives’ - Book 3: ‘15/1 - A young incarnation lama rides in the Regent’s procession’ [MS 01/04/2006]

Other Information - Related Images

Other Information - Related Images: Images prefixed with 'C.13' comprise a group of negatives containing images of a photograph of the 13th Dalai Lama, Bhondong, the mission hospital group, the Regent’s arrival [departure], 5 Khampa beggars, the Ngagchen Rimpoche, Taring Rimpoche. There is some confusion as to whether or not the pictures of the Regent relate to the arrival or departure as at one point in the list [C.13.9] Chapman refers to the 'departure'. However, most of the C.13 images used in the Mission Diary relating to the arrival back in Lhasa in November are C.13 images. It seems likely that they are of the arrival back in Lhasa on November 23rd, therefore, following which Taring Rinpoche visited the Mission for lunch, thus possibly providing the occasion of this photograph [MS 28/03/2006]

Other Information - Description: Entry in Mission Diary for November 23rd 1936: "More officials pass, then a tiny incarnation lama, aged about four, is led past on a pony. He is dressed splendidly and wears on his hat an exquisite ornament of turquoise and gold. Slung across his back is a gold charm box containing a Buddha almost as big as himself" ['Lhasa Mission, 1936: Diary of Events', Part IX pp. 3-4, written by Chapman] [MS 01/04/2006]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Incarnate lama in Regent's procession" 05 Dec. 2006. The British Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_BMR.86.1.35.4.html>.

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Incarnate lama in Regent's procession