George Leigh Mallory

1 portrait

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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George Leigh Mallory

by Duncan Grant
oil on panel, 1912
30 1/2 in. x 20 7/8 in. (775 mm x 530 mm)
Accepted in lieu of tax by H.M. Government and allocated to the Gallery, 1985
Primary Collection
NPG 5802

Sitterback to top

Artistback to top

  • Duncan Grant (1885-1978), Artist. Artist or producer of 9 portraits, Sitter associated with 31 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Duncan Grant's sensual portrait of the mountaineer George Leigh Mallory reverberates with desire. While the extent of their relationship is not clear, Grant produced a series of erotically-charged portraits of his friend. Despite his forthcoming marriage, Mallory was ambivalent, promising
that he would not 'desert the ranks of the fashionable homosexualists' being 'still in part of that persuasion'.

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Events of 1912back to top

Current affairs

The Royal Flying Corps is established. During the Great War, planes and balloons were used mainly for reconnaissance and observation before technological advances made them fast enough and manoeuvrable enough to attack enemy positions and fight in the air. Arthur (Bomber) Harris won distinction as a pilot destroying five enemy aircraft in the war. In the Second World War he became Marshal of the Royal Air Force.

Art and science

George Bernard Shaw writes Pygmalion.
Charles Babbage's invents the Analytic Machine. Considered to be the forerunner to the modern computer, the machine was able to make automatic mathematical calculations.

International

Scott leads the British Expedition to the South Pole reaching it in January 1912 only to discover that the rival Norwegian party had beaten them by a month. All members of Scott's team perished on the return journey. Captain Oates' famous last words were immortalised in Scott's diary: 'I am just going outside and may be some time.'
The 'unsinkable' Titanic strikes an iceberg and goes down on its maiden journey between Southampton and New York.

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