Photograph of Ascent of The Crater of Erebus

An original silver gelatine photograph, approx. 9 x 12 (23 x 30 cm.), by Douglas Mawson captures climb of The Crater of Erebus and the achievement of the men who made the first ascent of Mount Erebus, in the Antarctic. The black and white photograph is dominated by the image of the ice and snow covered cliff, 4 figures are stood at the top of the cliff.

This photograph was taken as the exploration party climbed the Crater of Erebus during their successful first ascent of Mount Erebus. This photographic record of this first ascent is important in the history of Antarctic Exploration.

This iconic picture by Douglas Mawson (who would Captiain Discovery for the B.A.N.Z.A.R. expedition) captures the achievement of the men who made the first ascent of Mount Erebus, in the Antarctic. Members of Shackletons British Antarctic Expedition of 1907-9, they comprised also T. W. Edgeworth David, Alistair Mackay, Jameson Adams, and Eric Marshall; a sixth man, Philip Brocklehurst, did not make the final ascent, having sustained frostbite on the way up.

Mawson and his team-mates reached the summit at 10am on March 10, 1908, taking pictures during the course of the ascent. Their account of the undertaking appears in Shackletons The Heart of the Antarctic, where a version of the present photograph also appears (volume 1, p. 188).

This original photograph lacks provenance. The seller acquired this from the trade, and was told that it was bought at auction.
Purchased with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions.