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Photo, Print, Drawing Village of Lala Cheena in the Khyber River.

About this Item

Title

  • Village of Lala Cheena in the Khyber River.

Summary

  • In the fall of 1878, The Illustrated London News dispatched the Scottish artist William Simpson (1823--99) to Afghanistan in anticipation of a conflict between Britain and Afghan tribal leaders. The British were concerned about growing Russian influence in the region and a possible Russian threat to British India. Fighting broke out in November 1878, precipitating what became known as the Second Afghan War (1878--80). Simpson documented the conflict, but he was also interested in people he encountered and places he visited, especially ancient Buddhist ruins, several of which he excavated. Shown here is Simpson's watercolor sketch of the village of Lala Cheena. Simpson's notes indicate that this was where General Sir Neville Chamberlain met with Faiz Mahomed Khan, governor of the fort of Ali Majid. The sketch is dated November 21, 1878, the day of the Battle of Ali Masjid in which 12,000 British and Indian troops defeated 3,700 Afghan troops and an unknown number of Afghan tribesmen. The painting is from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection at the Brown University Library.

Names

  • Simpson, William, 1823-1899 Artist.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1878-11-21.

Headings

  • -  Afghanistan
  • -  1878-11-21
  • -  Afghan Wars
  • -  Forts and fortifications
  • -  Khyber Pass (Afghanistan and Pakistan)
  • -  Library of Congress Afghanistan Project
  • -  Mountains
  • -  Rivers
  • -  Villages
  • -  Watercolors

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: Water-color drawing ; 57 x 38 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: Brown University Library.
  • -  Content in English.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Source Collection

  • Original Sketches Made in Afghanistan during the Campaign of 1878-79 with the Peshawer Field Force

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021670498

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Simpson, William, Artist. Village of Lala Cheena in the Khyber River. Afghanistan, 1878. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, -11-21] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670498/.

APA citation style:

Simpson, W. (1878) Village of Lala Cheena in the Khyber River. Afghanistan, 1878. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, -11-21] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670498/.

MLA citation style:

Simpson, William, Artist. Village of Lala Cheena in the Khyber River. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, -11-21] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021670498/>.