Washing Gallery

British soldiers bathing in flooded shell hole by Matania

The only advantage of the wet weather on the Western Front - a novel swimming bath used by British soldiers to bathe in. A scene captured at the front by The Sphere special artist, Fortunino Matania, who was on one of his several visits to the Front at the time. Date: 1917

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

1917, 1st, Bath, Bathe, Bathing, British, Clean, Flooded, Fortunino, Front, Great, Historical, History, Hole, Holes, Matania, Men, Naked, Nude, Shell, Shellhole, Soldiers, Sphere, Swim, Swimming, Troops, War, Washing, Weather, Western, Wet, World, Ww1, Wwi

Mary anointing the feet of Jesus Christ

Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of Jesus Christ in gratitude for his raising of her brother Lazarus (and in preparation for his impending death and burial). Date: circa 1850

© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection

Anoint, Anointing, Anoints, Bethany, Bible, Biblical, Christ, Christianity, Feet, Historical, History, Jesus, Magdalene, Mary, Wash, Washes, Washing

Bathing in the Ganges by Fortunino Matania

With our special artist in India: a wonderful sight in the metropolis of Hinduism. Thousands of pilgrims, fakirs and other worshippers bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges, Benares, India. Drawn by Sphere special artist, Fortunino Matania who had travelled to India for the Delhi Durbar. Date: 1912

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans