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Sir George Back

(1796-1878), Naval officer and explorer

Early Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter in 6 portraits
Back was a naval officer who helped to trace the Arctic coastline of North America. He twice accompanied the British explorer John Franklin to Canada's Northwest Territories (1819-22 and 1825-7) and later conducted two expeditions of his own to the same region. The first of these expeditions, in 1833, was to search for another British explorer, John Ross, who had disappeared on an Arctic voyage in 1829. The venture resulted in the exploration of the Great Fish River (now the Back River). In 1836 Back returned to explore the coastal region east from the mouth of the river. His writings include Narrative of the Arctic Land Expedition to the Mouth of the Great Fish River (1836).

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Sir George Back, by Camille Silvy - NPG Ax52484

Sir George Back

by Camille Silvy
albumen print, 16 April 1861
NPG Ax52484

Sir George Back, by Ernest Edwards, published by  Alfred William Bennett - NPG Ax14765

Sir George Back

by Ernest Edwards, published by Alfred William Bennett
albumen print, published 1865
NPG Ax14765

Sir George Back, by Edward Francis Finden, published by  John Samuel Murray, after  Richard Woodman - NPG D33854

Sir George Back

by Edward Francis Finden, published by John Samuel Murray, after Richard Woodman
stipple engraving, published 1828
NPG D33854

The Arctic Council planning a search for Sir John Franklin, by James Scott, after  Stephen Pearce - NPG D9472

The Arctic Council planning a search for Sir John Franklin

by James Scott, after Stephen Pearce
mezzotint, published 1853
NPG D9472

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