The great Glacier and Snowy Peaks, at the head of the Buspa Valley
Photograph
1866 (photographed)
1866 (photographed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This dramatic view of a glacier was captured by the English photographer Samuel Bourne. From July to December 1866, he toured part of the Himalayan region. Bourne was fascinated by the mountains and captured images of them on glass negatives.
He wrote about his journey in The British Journal of Photography, outlining his route and in some cases describing the scenes he photographed. Of this glacier he wrote: 'The stupendous glacier…fills up completely the head of the valley – an enormous block of ice hundreds of feet in thickness and several miles long (as far as I could judge, probably ten or fifteen), but I did not explore it. The stream issues at its foot (a full-blown river at once) out of an immense ice cave, called by the natives the “cow’s mouth”…. I was fortunate enough in having a fine, clear morning following the day of my arrival at this spot, and was thus enabled to obtain three excellent negatives of the cave, the glacier, and the peaks by which it was surrounded.’
He wrote about his journey in The British Journal of Photography, outlining his route and in some cases describing the scenes he photographed. Of this glacier he wrote: 'The stupendous glacier…fills up completely the head of the valley – an enormous block of ice hundreds of feet in thickness and several miles long (as far as I could judge, probably ten or fifteen), but I did not explore it. The stream issues at its foot (a full-blown river at once) out of an immense ice cave, called by the natives the “cow’s mouth”…. I was fortunate enough in having a fine, clear morning following the day of my arrival at this spot, and was thus enabled to obtain three excellent negatives of the cave, the glacier, and the peaks by which it was surrounded.’
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The great Glacier and Snowy Peaks, at the head of the Buspa Valley (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Albumen print from a wet collodion glass negative |
| Brief description | Photograph of the Great Glacier and snowy Peaks, at the head of the Baspa Valley, India, by Samuel Bourne, 1866. |
| Physical description | This photograph is one of three taken of the great glacier at the head of the Baspa Valley (the others being museum no. 53, 126 & 53,128). It is the source of the Baspa river. This image is taken at a mid-distance away from the cave from which the river flows. The glacier is surrounded by mountain peaks tipped with snow. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Signature and negative number in bottom left hand corner. |
| Object history | The photograph was initially part of the photographic collection held in the National Art Library. The markings on the mount are an indication of the history of the object, its movement through the museum and the way in which it is categorised. The mount is white with handwritten text across the top: Topography, etc, India, IIbd On the right hand side: A.in.Baspa Bottom left: 'Baspa Valley: Great Galcier and Snowy peaks' handwritten. |
| Historical context | Samuel Bourne wrote and published an account of his journey in which he mentions the places that he photographed. Below is the relevant section for this photograph: 'The stupendous glacier in which the Buspa fills up completely the head of the valley – an enormous block of ice hundreds of feet in thickness and several miles long (as far as I could judge, probably ten or fifteen), but I did not explore it. The stream issues at its foot (a full-blown river at once) out of an immense ice cave, called by the natives the ‘cow’s mouth,’….I was fortunate enough in having a fine, clear morning following the day of my arrival at this spot, and was thus enabled to obtain three excellent negatives of the cave, the glacier, and the peaks by which it was surrounded'. Bourne, S, A Photographic journey through the Higher Himalayas, The British Journal of Photography, March 4 1870, pg 99. |
| Production | The negative was made in 1866. This print was made before March 1867. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | This dramatic view of a glacier was captured by the English photographer Samuel Bourne. From July to December 1866, he toured part of the Himalayan region. Bourne was fascinated by the mountains and captured images of them on glass negatives. He wrote about his journey in The British Journal of Photography, outlining his route and in some cases describing the scenes he photographed. Of this glacier he wrote: 'The stupendous glacier…fills up completely the head of the valley – an enormous block of ice hundreds of feet in thickness and several miles long (as far as I could judge, probably ten or fifteen), but I did not explore it. The stream issues at its foot (a full-blown river at once) out of an immense ice cave, called by the natives the “cow’s mouth”…. I was fortunate enough in having a fine, clear morning following the day of my arrival at this spot, and was thus enabled to obtain three excellent negatives of the cave, the glacier, and the peaks by which it was surrounded.’ |
| Bibliographic reference | Bourne, S, A Photographic journey through the Higher Himalayas, The British Journal of Photography, March 4 1870, pg 99. |
| Other number | 1525 - Negative number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 53127 |
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| Record created | December 17, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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