Cecil Henry Meares; Lawrence Oates

1 portrait

by Herbert George Ponting
carbon print, 26 May 1911
18 in. x 13 1/2 in. (457 mm x 343 mm)
Purchased, 1979
Primary Collection
NPG P121

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Sittersback to top

Cecil Henry Meares (1877-1937), Lieutenant-Colonel, linguist and Antarctic explorer. Sitter in 3 portraits.
Lawrence Edward Grace Oates (1880-1912), Antarctic explorer. Sitter in 3 portraits.

Artistback to top

Herbert George Ponting (1870-1935). Artist of 10 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.

This portraitback to top

Two of Captain Scott's companions on his last Antarctic expedition. Oates, nicknamed 'the soldier' and called by Scott 'the cheery old pessimist', was devoted to animals. Meares, a linguist, was taken on as an interpreter of Russian, and was also in charge of the dogs. The photograph shows them (Oates on the right) at the blubber-stove in the stable at the winter quarters at Cape Evans, where they were constantly seen cooking bran-mash for the ponies. Ponting was commissioned to film and photograph Scott's expedition. His experience is recorded in his book The Great White South (1921).