Platinum Print

Despite warnings of a difficult ice season ahead in the Weddell Sea, from the seasoned Norwegian whaling captains met at South Georgia, Shackleton commands the Captain of the Endurance Frank Worsley to make way through the Weddell Sea towards the continent of Antarctica, beginning the planned for the ‘Imperial Trans-Antarctic’ crossing in earnest. Looking out over the bow of the ship as the sea ice begins to form, Shackleton’s men face their challenge with anticipation, some trepidation and 100% belief in their leader. © Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Shackleton’s enduring legacy is due, in no small part, to his recruitment of Frank Hurley as expedition photographer. Hurley’s astonishingly clear photographs of the ‘Endurance’ expedition allow us an extraordinary sense of connection with the expedition and the crew’s journey from optimism to disaster, deprivation and redemption.

Drawn from the Royal Geographical Society's Collection of over 500,000 historic photographs, we have selected some of the earliest and most iconic exploration images taken by Frank Hurley, the official photographer and filmmaker commissioned by Sir Ernest Shackleton to document his ‘Endurance’ expedition of 1914-18, to release a limited edition collection of platinum prints.

Using the historic negatives that were saved from the sinking ship by Hurley, and carried on that remarkable journey; to the safety of Elephant Island and then following the rescue of his men by Shackleton, back to London, the original glass plate  ‘survivors’ have been been scanned by hand using the latest equipment and techniques to create the highest resolution digital negatives. This has enabled the creation of the first prints made using the negatives since they were last handled by Hurley himself in the early 1920s. 

Each print is made to order by master print-maker Georges Charlier and his team from Salto-Ulbeek in Belgium using the rare platinum process, where the painterly quality of the process draws out the finest detail.  Each print comes with a certificate identifying the print number in each strictly limited edition. The prints themselves are museum-grade reproductions and will not deteriorate in quality over time. 

This limited collection of ‘Endurance’ platinum prints provide the collector with a unique opportunity to be a part of the centenary year in which Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship was re-discovered over 3,000 metres below the surface of the Weddell Sea. 

 Platinum prints are made-to-order and are therefore non-refundable, learn more here.