IDNO

P.97081.WIL

Description

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“(58-135 where taken in Lhasa.)
132. “The Dalai Lama at Chense lingka 21.9.33
132d/e. “In the reception room”
These are rare which were taken on the first of several departure calls paid on the Dalai Lama by FW.
MPOW: 115.” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

The 13th Dalai Lama sits cross-legged on an ornate throne in the reception room of Chense-lingka. His hands rest on his knees and he looks towards the camera. His intricately decorated robes are fastened over the right shoulder.
The wall behind him is painted with Tibetan Buddhist murals. On either side of him are various objects such as pot plants, a small porcelain Buddha, and a clock.

Place

C Asia; Tibet; Lhasa; Chense Lingka

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

13th Dalai Lama

Photographer

Williamson, Frederick

Collector / Expedition

Date

21 September 1933

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Transcription: The transcription of this album by Mark Turin and Sara Shneiderman was carried out with reference to Krystina Cech’s catalogue list alone. Alex Nadin has since revised their cataloguing by systematically matching their records to the images. Margaret Williamson’s handwritten captions for photographs have now been transcribed into the Inscription field, and Cech’s descriptions appear in the Description field. Correct entries for Place, Named Person and Other Nos. have also been entered by Alex Nadin. [Sudeshna Guha 29/10/2002]

Bibliographical Reference: The Williamson’s visit to Chense Lingka at Norbulingka is mentioned in Williamson, Margaret, 1987. Memoirs of a Political Officer’s Wife (Wisdom Publication, London) p.123, which has the following test:
“Down a broad avenue of poplar trees we found Chense Lingka, meaning ‘favourite garden’, which consisted of another private palace and garden that Kunphel-la had recently designed and built for His Holiness. Here more flowers bloomed and we saw the bower where His Holiness liked to sit in the afternoon. Behind the main palace was another small palace with a sun-room at the rear.” [JD 16/5/2008]

Place: “Chensek Potrang - This palace was built in 1922 within the Norbulingka complex for Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama by a wealthy lay Buddhist supporter called Chensek Kumbu.” [Source: Cech’s list, JD 16/5/2008]

Biographical Information: For further information on the 13th Dalai Lama see the Biographies File. [CJ 4/9/2008]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Caspian James 4/9/2008]