The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World

The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World is a maritime panoramic painting created by Benjamin Russell and Caleb B. Purrington in 1848.^[1] Today, it is located and displayed at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts.^[2] At 1,275 feet in length, it is the longest painting in the United States, longer than the Empire State Building is tall.^[3]

A portion of the panoramic painting featuring New Bedford, Massachusetts.

History

An advertisement for a showing of the panorama at Boston's Amory Hall in 1849.

Benjamin Russell was a notable whaling painter of New Bedford, while Caleb Purrington was a more simple sign painter.^[4] The panorama was first displayed in 1848.^[4] It was displayed on a proscenium stage, mounted on spools and manually cranked to wind the panorama along, typically accompanied by narration, music, and lighting effects.^[4]

The Old Dartmouth Historical Society acquired the panorama in 1918.^[5]

Description

The panorama exists in four sections and depicts a whaling voyage around the world in the first half of the 19th century.^[6] The Wall Street Journal described it as "surprising in its variety and beauty."^[4]

Restoration

Part of the restoration included spraying the painting with diluted adhesive in order to bind the pigment to the cloth and humidify the canvas.^[6]

After its restoration, it was displayed in four sections in a gallery exhibition called "A Spectacle in Motion" at the Kilburn Mill in New Bedford, Massachusetts from July 14 to October 8, 2018.^[4] As part of the exhibition, and to protect the fragile canvas from further wear, the New Bedford Whaling Museum created a digital video of the panorama show, now viewable on YouTube.