'Sunset off Proclamation'. A vintage gelatin silver photograph (482 × 174 mm) from the BANZARE voyages, 1929-1931
This is one of 'Hurley's series of remarkable masthead panoramas' (Alasdair McGregor: 'Frank Hurley. A Photographer's Life', 2004). It is captioned in pencil on the verso: 'Film Panorama 64. Sunset off Proclamation', and McGregor puts this important image into context. 'The British Flag was hoisted and British Sovereignty asserted on 13th January 1930' - the main purpose of these expeditions - on Proclamation Island, five kilometres off Cape Batterbee, Enderby Land, as the ship could not reach the mainland. 'At noon, looking across a sea scattered with icebergs riding like some great gelid fleet and a mainland of ragged mountains all but overwhelmed by polar ice, Mawson read the prepared proclamation.... By mid-afternoon they were back at the ship. Davis [the captain] had not been willing to drop anchor and was eager to leave' (page 312). Much of this is obvious in this fine photograph, but the body of the seal on a blood-soaked sheet of floe-ice near the bow of the ship will catch many by surprise ... Light silvering-out around the edges; essentially in fine condition, in a custom-made Mylar pocket. Provenance: Sir Douglas Mawson (the caption is in his hand); by descent.
Item #115095
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