My friend Paul, in England, suggested that I should post ten of my favorite works of art. This was harder than I originally thought, but I set to it and came up with ten of my favorites in no particular order. I'm going to try and put the actual prints on each post, although some of the copyrights might cause difficulties. However this one has no copyright so I'll start with it.
In 1949, my father (in a fit of uncharacteristic indulgence, I think) used to take the National Geographic Magazine. In April of that year they published The British Way, a series of paintings that represented moments of great importance in British History. I was almost ten and these pictures had a great effect on me as well as teaching me something of my culture at which in those days I was truly a dunce. On an impulse back in 1985, I rang up the National Geographic in Washington D.C. and asked them if it would be possible to obtain a copy of the issue. Amazingly they found it right away, even though I had the date and subject wrong. They mailed me a copy and it is one of my dearest possessions.
Inside is this painting which as a young boy effected me greatly. It is by John Charles Dollman and shows Captain Titus Oates leaving the small compound of Scott of the Antarctic on their tragic return journey. He was riddled with frostbite and knew his existence would only slow them down and endanger the entire expedition. As a result he quietly decided to end his life and walked out of the tent saying: "I'm going out for a while. I may be some time." The painting which is not very well represented here is perhaps the bleakest I can ever recall and certainly earns its title "A Very Gallant Gentleman." Today it hangs on the walls of the British Cavalry Club in London. On my next visit, I shall go along and see if they'll let me view it. They probably won't, being rather sniffy, but I shall make the effort.
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