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1848 painting by Benjamin Russell and Caleb B. Purrington From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
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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]
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]
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.
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