Photographic prints acquired by Freer duriing his tour of Colombo in February 1907, depicting the archaeological, religious, and scenic sites of Sri Lanka. Photographs include works by the major studios in Colombo such as Skeen & Co., and Scowen and Co. (later Apothecaries Co.), as well as works by unknown photographers. Geographically the images display a wide range of sites from across the island but emphasize the ancient ruins of the Anuradhapura District. All the prints are gold-toned albumen prints.
1: Alsophila Crinita. Caption: "Alsophila Crinita Woolly Tree-Ferns." Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 2: Anuradhapura, Abhayagiri ViharaComplex, Abhayagiri Thupa, from the south. Caption: "Jetawanarama Dagoba 245 high. Anuradhapura." Captions: "Jetawanarama DagobaAnuradhapura", "Anuradhapura" Scowen; Apothecaries Co. Ltd. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 3: Anuradhapura, Abhayagiri Vihara Complex, Kanda-oru. Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 4: Anuradhapura, Abhayagiri Vihara Complex, Kuttum Pokuna. Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 5: Anuradhapura, Abhayagiri Vihara Complex, Mahasena's Pavilion, moonstone and stairway. Captions: "Kings Palace Moonstone, Ruanwella", "Anuradhapura" Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 6: Anuradhapura, Isurumuniya Temple, carved stone images. Captions: "Carved stone in S-steps, Isurumuniya", "Anuradhapura" Apothecaries Co. Ltd. Not after 1896; 7: Anuradhapura, Isurumuniya Temple, front from the east. Captions: "Isurumuniya Temple, Ruanwella", "Anuradhapura, Isurumuniya." Apothecaries Co. Ltd. Not after 1896; 8: Anuradhapura, Magul Uyana, rock cut pond. Caption: "A rock cut recess in connection with a bathing pond on the east side of the Tisawewa, Anuradhapura." Captions: "Rock cut recess east of Tissawewa", "Anuradhapura" Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 9: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, "Dalada Maligawa" idol house.; 10: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, Kujjatissa Pabbata. Caption: "Sala Chaitiya Dagoba, Anuradhapura." Caption: "Anuradhapura" Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 11: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, Kujjatissa Pabbata. Caption: "Sala Chaitiya Dagoba. Anuradhapura." Caption: "Anuradhapura" Scowen & Co. Between the 1876 and ca.1894; 12: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, monastic cistern and dyeing vessel near the Thuparama Dagoba. Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 13: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, monastic ruins west of the Ruvanvalisaya. Caption: "Ruins of the north west side of the Ruanwelli Dagoba, Anuradhapura." Caption: "Anuradhapura" Scowen & Co; Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 14: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex,monastic ruins south west of the Ruvanvalisaya. Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 15: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, monastic ruins south west of the Ruvanvalisaya. Caption: "Anuradhapura" Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 16: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, Ruvanvalisaya, east entrance. Captions: "Ruanwella Dagoba from the east showing carved entrance", "Anuradhapura" Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 17: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, Ruvanvalisaya, southern vahalkada. Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 18: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, Sri Maha Bodhi Shrine. Caption: "Ficus Religiosa, the sacred Bo tree at Anuradhapura. This ancient tree is an object of the most profound veneration to the Buddhists; its parent in India being the identical tree under which Gautama is said to have attained the Buddhaship. The original branch was planted by King Dewanpiya Tissa, B.C. 288. " Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 19: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, stone bulls near the Ruvanvalisaya. Captions: "Stone Bulls, Ruanwella", "Anuradhapura" Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 20: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, stone figure. Caption: "Stone figure in Kachcheri ground, Ruanwella." Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 21: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, Thuparama Dagoba, pillar capital. Caption: "Pillar at the Thuparama, Anuradhapura.". Not before 1862; 22: Anuradhapura, Mahavihara Complex, Thuparama Dagoba and surrounding ruins. Caption: "Polonnaruva?" Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 23: Anuradhapura, Mirisvatiya Dagoba. Captions: "Merisawatte Dagoba, Ruanwella", "Anuradhapura, Miriswetiya." Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 24: Anuradhapura, Western Monasteries, stone canopy. Skeen & Co. Between 1886 and 1903; 25: Anuradhapura District, Mihintale, Mahinda's Bed. Caption: "Mihintale,, Mahinda's Bed"; 26: Colombo District, Colombo Fort, from the south. Captions: "Barracks, Fort, Colombo. No. 62", "Colombo" C.A. Co. Ltd. Between the 1870s and ca.1890; 27: Kandy, Dalada Maligawa, entrance. Caption: "Entrance to the Buddhist Temple, Kandy." Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 28: Kandy, Dalada Maligawa, front view. Caption: "Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth) Kandy." Caption: "Kandy,, Maligawa." Scowen. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 29: Kandy, back of Temple. Captions: "Back of Temple, Kandy," Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 30: Kandy, "Florence Villa." Caption: "Florence Villa, Kandy, No. 193." C.A. Co. Ltd. Between the 1870s and ca.1890; 31: Kandy, Kandy Lake with Hantanne Peak in back. Caption: "Kandy Lake and Hantanne Peak." Scowen. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 32: Kandy, Kandy Lake and city from the South-east. Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 33: Kandy, Old Palace. Caption: "Old palace, Kandy"; 34: Kandy District, Panwila, "Holton Estate" tea plucking. Caption: "Plucking tea leaf-Holton Estate. Panwila." Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 35: Kandy District, Peradeniya, Mahavali River. Caption: "River at Peradeniya." Skeen & Co. Between the late 1860s and 1903; 36: Kandy District, Peradeniya, Royal Botanic Gardens, Creeper. Caption: "A Creeper in the Peradeniya Gardens" Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 37: Kandy District, Peradeniya, Royal Botanic Gardens, fig tree. Caption: "Fig tree, Peradeniya"; 38: Kandy District, Peradeniya, Royal Botanic Gardens, palms. Caption: "Group of palms in the Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya." Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 39: Kandy District, Peradeniya, Royal Botanic Gardens, palms. Caption: "Group of Palms in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya." Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 40: Kandy District, Peradeniya, the Satinwood Bridge over the Mahavali River. Captions: "Satinwood Bridge from the gardens", "Peradeniya,, Royal Botanic Gardens.". Not after 1904; 41: Matale District, Aluvihara Rock Temple. Caption: "Matale. Aluwihara Rock Temple. Where Buddhist books were first committed to writing in B.C. 90." Caption: "Matale,, Aluvihara." Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 42: Matale District, Aluvihara Rock Temple. Caption: "Rock Temple at Matara showing the Great Gorge"; 43: Matale District, Dambulla Cave Temple, entrance to a cave. Captions: "Rock Temple entrance, Mihintale", "Mihintale" Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 44: Matale District, Dambulla Cave Temple, terrace. Captions: "Buddhist Rock temple view from terrace, Mihintale", "Mihintale" Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 45: Matale District, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, assent to the summit. Captions: "Sigiri remains of galleries running to the top of the rock", "Sigiriya" Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 46: Matale District, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, view to summit from the Lion Terrace. Captions: "Sigiri Rock", "Sigiriya"; 47: Matale District, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, stairs of the lower gallery. Captions: "Sigiri end of the remaining portion of the lower gallery", "Sigiriya"; 48: Nuvara Eliya, landscape. Captions: "Nuwera Eliya", "Nuwara Eliya" C. Scowen. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 49: Polonnaruva, Ancient City, Dalada Maluva Complex, Hatadage. Captions: "Atadage, Ruawella", "Anuradhapura" Apothecaries Co. Ltd. Not after 1903; 50: Polonnaruva, Ancient City, Dalada Maluva Complex, Hatadage, broken stone Buddha. Captions: "Atadage inner chamber"; "Polonnaruwa, Atadage." Apothecaries Co. Ltd. Not after 1903; 51: Polonnaruva, Ancient City, Siva Devale No. 1, east entrance. Captions: "Anuradhapura", "Anuradhapura" Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 52: Ratnapura District, Sripada. Caption: "Temple of Adam's Peak"; 53: Matale District, unidentified gorge. Caption: "Vicarton Gorge, Matale." Scowen & Co. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 54: Unidentified temple. Caption: "Buddhist Temple, Colombo No. 92." Caption: "Colombo." Apothecaries Co. Ltd; 55: Unidentified temple. Caption: "Buddhist Temple, Peradeniya." Caption: "Peradeniya." C.A. Co. Ltd; Apothecaries Co. Ltd. Between the 1870s and ca.1890; 56: Unidentified house. Captions: "Hill Club", "97' Moliya", "Nuwara Eliya" C. Scowen. Between 1876 and ca.1894; 57: Unidentified river. Captions: "Maskeliya river", "Maskeliya"; 58: Unidentified waterfall. Captions: "Maskeliya Falls", "Maskeliya"; 59: Unidentified waterfall.
Captions: "Naliawilla Falls Haputale,", "Haplutale"; 60: Unidentified waterfall. Captions: "The double Ramibadde Falls", "Ramboda"; 61: Unidentified ruins of stairs. The Colombo Apothecaries Company, Ltd. Photographers; 62: Unidentified brick ruin. The Colombo Apothecaries Company, Ltd. Photographers.
Arrangement:
Organized in the original manner by the creator.
Local Numbers:
FSA A.01 12.10
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.
Topic:
Art, Asian -- Collectors and collecting Search this
Art, American -- Collectors and collecting Search this
Charles Lang Freer Papers. FSA A.01. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of the estate of Charles Lang Freer.
