PONTING, Herbert George (1870-1935). The Terra Nova at the Ice-foot, Cape Evans. 1911. LARGE FORMAT silver print.

LARGE FORMAT silver print, 750 x 580 mm, tipped to the original heavy card mount, with Ponting's blindstamp in lower right corner: "H. G. Ponting. Copyright." (A few marginal remnants from old matting on margins of mount, extreme outer edge of image toned from old matting.) Framed.Ponting was the first professional photographer engaged by an Antarctic expedition and sailed with Terra Nova on Capt. R.F. Scott's second and final expedition from London in June, 1910. They wintered at Cape Evans, Ross Island, just at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, and by January 1911, Ponting had completed outfitting his dark room in a small hut. His camera and equipment weighed more than 200 pounds, and he would have to take a camping kit and food for several days to visit a point only a few miles away -- in total, a 400 pound load on a dog sledge. He completed most of his work before the long Antarctic night set in, and returned to London to prepare his photographs for exhibition. He showed his work in an exhibition of 200 photographs for the Fine Art Society, London in 1913. He (and the rest of the world) learned of the deaths of the Terra Nova crew members in 1913, nearly a year after they had perished.

Provenance: Original Fine Art Society exhibition label on mount verso ("Title: The Terra Nova at the Ice-foot, Cape Evans. No. 24. Notice: This photograph is enlarged from a negative made by Mr. H. G. Ponting during the British Antarctic Expedition and is Copyright in All Countries/Sole Agents: The Fine Art Society, 148, New Bond Street, London").