The existence of early photographs from Nepal has been speculated upon, but to date no conclusive evidence has appeared. Currently the earliest known photographs are the portraits of royalty, Nepali tribes, and landscapes by Clarence Comyn Taylor (1830-79) dating to 1863-5. Photographers working for Bourne & Shepherd visited Nepal in the 1870s-1880s and are said to have instructed the first Nepali photographer, Dambar Shamsher (1858-1922) whose son Samar also took up photography. Shamsher passed on his knowledge to the painter Purna Man Chitrakar c. 1880, who encouraged several generations of Chitrakars to become photographers, including Dirga Man Chitrakar (1877-1951). T. J. Hoffmann, of the Calcutta-based firm Johnston & Hoffmann, visited Nepal in the 1890s and received court patronage. Members of the ruling family also visited Hoffmann's Calcutta studio on several occasions. Between the 1870s and the 1930s, hunting expeditions were keenly documented by European firms. Local studios had begun to appear by 1920, catering to a more middle-class clientele. Over the following decades, portable cameras were introduced in larger numbers and amateur photography increased, often documenting significant family events.
The ancient history of Nepal has still not been fully researched but it seems that the Katmandu Valley was in early contact with Buddhism through its proximity to India. The Licchavi dynasty was founded around 300 ce and ruled until the 9th century. Buddhism was likely to have been systematically introduced into Nepal during the reign of King Aśoka and has continued to flourish there to the present day alongside Hinduism. The location of Nepal between the Buddhist heartland of India and Tibet meant that it was frequently visited by travelling Tibetan and Indian monks, with the Nepalese at times acting as interpreters. Present-day Nepal has a strong Tibetan Buddhist presence alongside the traditional supporters of Buddhism among the native population. As it was never subjected to the devastating destruction wrought on Buddhist establishments by early Muslim invaders in India, large quantities of Buddhist manuscripts have survived there which have received careful attention from scholars.
