However, as small as this group appears as it parades down a main street in Seoul, Korea, it is an important one, and the photographer is ready with his camera.

".....The old man on horseback is the official superintendent of the royal stables, and a person of importance. A great deal of ceremony is attached to the appearance in public of any native holding government office, or enjoying high favor at court...."

--- Herbert G. Ponting, Photographer. 1903.

The above quote is from a more complete description of the image found on the reverse of the full stereoview.

On the face of the original stereoview, the photo caption's use of "Grand Master of Horse" was done by an American typesetter, and probably was meant to say "Grand Master of the Horse". Ponting was British, and that's probably the closest thing in [British] English he could come up with to describe the old man's rank : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_the_Horse

♥ ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION : www.flickr.com/photos/okinawa-soba/18839259393/

♥ FULL MOUNTED STEREOVIEW : www.flickr.com/photos/okinawa-soba/18837377884/

PHOTO NOTES : Photographed in Korea by Herbert G. Ponting in 1903, first published as a stereoview by UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD in 1904.

Between 1902 and 1903, ponting made at least two trips to Korea, and photographed there before the Russo-Japan War broke out in 1904.

He was fortunate to have made these photo excursions to Korea prior to war breaking out, as the resulting images show very little of the Japanese troop presence and war activities.

Further, prior to 1904, Ponting was not subjected to the strict censorship of the Japanese military, who imposed many restrictions on foreign photographers and journalists.

Ponting obtained the slightly elevated camera positions seen in many of his Korean street views by using the tripod-ladder contraption seen HERE :

♥ www.flickr.com/photos/okinawa-soba/2356526873/