Photographer: George Leigh Mallory (1886-1924) by kind permission of the Royal Geographical

Everest 1921 - A Reconnaissance

Tue 23 November 2021 - Thu 9 December 2021

Magdalene College

With the kind permission of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), this exhibition showcases a selection of platinum prints of the approaches to Mount Everest, and the mountain itself, taken in 1921 and reconstructed from newly digitised fragile silver nitrate negatives, preserved for the Society by the British Film Institute, and celluloid and glass plate negatives held at the Society.

The photographs were originally intended to complement the purpose of the Expedition – to carry out new and more detailed survey work in the region. The Expedition was the first to set foot on the mountain, climbing to over 23,000 feet and laying plans for the subsequent attempts on the summit in 1922 and 1924. However, notwithstanding these imperatives, the aesthetic quality of these images – among the first to document Everest – is remarkable.

The selection on display includes some of the finest panoramic photographs of any high mountain region ever taken. And as well as capturing the sublime beauty of the high Himalayas, the images are pioneering works in the history of photography: the 1921 Expedition supplied the very first recorded images of the Tibetan people.

Exhibition Location
The Robert Cripps Gallery, Magdalene College New Library.

Ticket holders are kindly asked to arrive at the main Magdalene College entrance and wait in First Court at their reserved time to be escorted to The Robert Cripps Gallery.

As the College grounds are currently closed to visitors you will be asked to wear a face-covering during your visit.

Exhibition Times
The exhibition will be running from Tuesday 23 November to Thursday 9 December.

Bookable public viewing slots at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 are available on:

Tuesday 23 November
Thursday 25 November
Tuesday 30 November
Thursday 2 December
Tuesday 7 December
Thursday 9 December

Booking your place
The exhibition is free to attend but booking is required.

Cost: Free