" GENTOO PENGUINS & WHALE BONES "
Robert Bateman

950 s/n Paper
20" x 32.75"
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" The cold waters surrounding the continent of Antarctica are extremely rich in oxygen,
and, therefore, have abundant plant and animal plankton to feed creatures from
the tiniest fish to the largest whales. These Antarctic waters were the harvesting
ground for the great age of whaling in the 19th and early 20th centuries which
helped build commercial empires in America and Europe. I use the word 'great',
but at the same time it was tragic. The largest creatures to inhabit earth, and
also among the most intelligent, were cruelly slaughtered and brought to
the brink of extinction.

In the cold, dry mausoleum of Antarctica, decomposition is slow. The former
whaling stations stand abandoned with the great wrecks of these whales
scattered on the beaches.

The two gentoo penguins huddle among great wrecks of whale bones, colossal
monuments that once were masters of the seas. The penguins give a sense
of continuing life. They will soon take to the sea for the coming winter,
but the great bones will stay as a testimony through the years.
Robert Bateman

  

1979 - acrylic on board - 30" x 48" - Gentoo Penguins and Whale Bones -

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