[Sir Frederick Smith].
| Format: | Photo Book |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[London] :
Wayland,
[1910].
|
| Subjects: |
| Item Description: | Oil over photograph attached to canvas. Major General Sir Frederick Smith, KCMG, CB, FRCVS (1857-1929) graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1876 and joined the army after a brief period of general practice. He served in India from 1878-1885; upon his return to England in 1886 he was appointed Professor at the Army Veterinary School. He was appointed to the Remount Department in 1892, and served in the Nile Expedition and the South African war. By 1903 he was appointed Principal Veterinary Officer in South Africa. He was made a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB, pictured at the left in the) in 1906. In 1907 he returned to England as Director General of the Army Veterinary Service, ranking as a Major-General, and reorganized the veterinary department. He retired in 1910 and was awarded the honor of Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, pictured 2nd from left in the portrait. With the outbreak of war in 1915 he was re-employed as Assistant Directory Veterinary Services, Southern Command. He was awarded the honour of Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in 1918, and retired again in 1919. A prolific writer throughout his career, his best known works were produced during his retirement: "A History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, 1796-1919" and the four-volume "The Early History of Veterinary Literature and its British Development." The latter, although published in the early 20th century, is still the definitive reference work to works published in veterinary medicine in Great Britain, with some coverage of classical Greek, Roman, and Middle Eastern authors and incunabula. From a 1928 letter from Sir Frederick Smith: "Years ago an enterprising photographer put what looked like an oil painting of me in his window. It turned out to be an oil above a photograph and very well done. I rather think he expected me to buy it. The last thing I should have done, but my sister bought it, or her son, Dr. Richard C. Poyser, of Cheam, Surrey now has it. He promised he would leave it to the College [Royal Veterinary College London], but he would require reminding." Communication from Norman Comben (previous owner) to Esther Carrigan (director of TMV): Mr. Comben acquired the painting from the Royal Veterinary College London through a trade of some drawings of the British Thoroughbred racehorse Eclipse (1764-1789). The RVC had been remodeling or cleaning out and found the painting in a cupboard or closet; Mr. Comben recognized the subject and offered the trade. He had the painting cleaned and restored slightly but left it in the original frame. Correspondence with Clare Boulton, Head of Library and Information Services at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, produced a copy of the photograph the portrait is based upon. It is dated 1910 in pencil on the verso and "Wayland - Blackheath, Streatham & Sutton" printed on the front border. |
|---|---|
| Physical Description: | oil painting ; portrait ; 66 x 51 cm |