Travel Tip: Art and Archaeology in England
A Terrible Beauty: Edward Wilson in Antarctica 1902 – 1912

On 12 September 1912 the frozen body of Edward Wilson was discovered alongside those of his companions Scott and Bowers. They had perished on their return from the South Pole, not far short of their supply depot and potential safety. Wilson, who accompanied Scott as his close friend and a highly experienced explorer, was the expedition doctor and Chief Scientific Officer. He was, also, an accomplished artist and a deeply religious man. Over the course of ten years he captured the terrible beauty of Antarctica in all its moods. In particular he was inspired by the unique aerial effects that he witnessed, and by Emperor penguins, of which he made a special study.

As an artist, Wilson was profoundly influenced by the writings of John Ruskin, so it is particularly appropriate for his work to be exhibited at Brantwood, Ruskin’s former home in the Lake District. The exhibition, which marks the centenary of the departure of the Terra Nova expedition, is jointly presented by the Royal Geographical Society and the Brantwood Trust. It comprises works loaned from the Royal Geographical Society, Cheltenham Museum & Art Gallery, and Abbot Hall, Kendal. In addition, polar clothing of the type worn by Wilson has been loaned by polar explorer Geoff Somers. Original research for the exhibition has been undertaken by Isobel Williams, whose biography of Wilson With Scott in the Antarctic, Edward Wilson, Explorer, Naturalist, Artist was published by the History Press in 2008.