1853 – Sea Elephants

“Sea Elephants”, is a half page feature image, from the Front Page of the February 5th 1853 edition, of “The Illustrated London News”. This simple but effective composition, which takes the eye back and forth between the two Sea Elephants, is a small triumph for Harrison Weir, not only because it was used as a Lead Page feature, but that it also cemented his fame as a naturalist and as a capable artist for animals of Zoological interest, and not just land-based animals and birds, but the whole gambit of animal creation. The drawing is embued with an empathetic quality, which literally oozes out of the  image of the Sea Elephants themselves, captured in their stance and their eyes. The simple suggestion of perspective by line of sea, Iceberg and sea vessel all add a dynamic power to the composition. Prints are currently available in A4, A3 and A2 sizing options.