Burma / Myanmar: King Thibaw’s State Barge on the moat at Mandalay, Willoughby Wallace Hooper, 1885

The photograph is from a series documenting the Third Anglo-Burmese War (1885-86) made by Hooper while serving as Provost Marshal with the British army. Thibaw was the last king of Burma and ruled from 1878 until 1885, when he was deposed and exiled to India by the British. The Burma Expeditionary Force entered Mandalay, the Burmese royal capital, on 28 November, beginning an occupation of the city, and the war culminated in the annexation of Upper Burma by the British on 1 January 1886.

Burmese state barges were magnificent gilded vessels roofed by a tiered spire (pyatthat) denoting sacred royal space, and a prow in the form of a mythical beast or celestial spirit. They were used by kings, courtiers and high officials in spectacular ceremonial processions and water festivals. At Mandalay the barge was moored on the moat which surrounded the city.

Hooper describes the barge and the use to which it was put during the occupation in a caption accompanying the photograph: 'This is a very gorgeous affair, the whole of it is gilded over, and it has a wonderful looking prow in the form of an eagle. The usual bits of looking glass have not been omitted in its decoration. Theebaw and his Queen used to be towed round the moat in this, on some of the rare occasions when he ventured out of the palace enclosure. It is now moored alongside the berm near the northeast corner of the city, where the 'Gymkhana' sports of the Garrison are held, and serves as a refreshment room, a very necessary adjunct to any athletic sports in the tropics'.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

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