Edward Adrian Wilson

by Herbert George Ponting
gelatin silver print, 19 May 1911
12 1/4 in. x 15 1/4 in. (311 mm x 388 mm)
Purchased, 2010
Primary Collection
NPG P1366

Sitterback to top

Edward Adrian Wilson (1872-1912), Naturalist and Antarctic explorer. Sitter in 5 portraits.

Artistback to top

Herbert George Ponting (1870-1935), Photographer and antarctic explorer. Artist or producer associated with 13 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.

This portraitback to top

Wilson was the head of the scientific staff of the Terra Nova expedition, having previously served on Scott's Discovery expedition. He was a talented field naturalist with a keen ability to sketch his observations. This photograph shows him finishing a watercolour of the atmospheric effects caused by the extreme cold.
The final pages of Scott's journal included a letter to Mrs Wilson: 'If this letter reaches you Bill and I will have gone out together. We are very near it now and I should like you to know how splendid he was at the last - everlastingly cheerful and ready to sacrifice himself for others, never a word of blame to me for leading him into this mess… he died as he lived, a brave, true man - the best of comrades and the staunchest of friends.'

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Scott of the Antarctic (16 August 2011 - 22 April 2012)

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1911back to top

Current affairs

Asquith's Liberal government introduces the Parliament Act to curb the powers of the House of Lords following the clash between the Commons and Lords over the 1909 People's Budget. The Act removed the Lords' power to veto bills, reduced the length of Parliament from seven to five years, and provided for the payment of MPs.

Art and science

Ernest Rutherford discovers the structure of the atom. The New Zealand born physicist working in Manchester showed with his Nuclear Model that electrons orbited a nucleus composed of protons and neutrons. The discovery paved the way for nuclear physics.

International

The Polish Chemist, Marie Curie, becomes the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for her discovery in 1898 of the radioactive element, Radon.
The Mona Lisa is stolen from the Louvre. The masterpiece was missing for two years, during which time suspicion fell on avant-garde poet Guillaume Apollinaire and his friend Pablo Picasso, before Vincenzo Peruggia, an employee of the Louvre, was arrested in Florence.

Tell us more back to top

Can you tell us more about this portrait? Spotted an error, information that is missing (a sitter’s life dates, occupation or family relationships, or a date of portrait for example) or do you know anything that we don't know? If you have information to share please complete the form below.

If you require information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service. You can buy a print of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at £6 for unframed prints, £25 for framed prints. If you wish to license this image, please use our Rights and Images service.

Please note that we cannot provide valuations.

We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

* What can you tell us? (Help)

There are occasions when we are unsure of the identity of a sitter or artist, their life dates, occupation or have not recorded their family relationships. Sometimes we have not recorded the date of a portrait. Do you have specialist knowledge or a particular interest about any aspect of the portrait or sitter or artist that you can share with us? We would welcome any information that adds to and enhances our information and understanding about a particular portrait, sitter or artist.

Citation (Help)

How do you know this? Please could you let us know your source of information.

* Permission to publish (Privacy information)

The National Portrait Gallery will NOT use your information to contact you or store for any other purpose than to investigate or display your contribution. By ticking permission to publish you are indicating your agreement for your contribution to be shown on this collection item page. Please note your email address will not be displayed on the page nor will it be used for any marketing material or promotion of any kind.

Please ensure your comments are relevant and appropriate. Your contributions must be polite and with no intention of causing trouble. All contributions are moderated.

Denied Granted

* Your name (Why?)

* Email (Why?)

Contributions are moderated. We'll need your email address so that we can follow up on the information provided and contact you to let you know when your contribution has been published.