Russell, Benjamin

Benjamin Russell (October 16, 1804 - March 3, 1885) was an American artist best known for a series of depictions of the American whaling industry. Russell was born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, headquarters of the whaling industry, and his family had become wealthy through the industry. After his family suffered financial setbacks in the 1830s, Russell spent several years as a cooper aboard whaling ships, where he began sketching what he witnessed. His depictions of the industry were therefore well-informed and highly realistic, providing an important source for historians. By the mid-1840s, he had fully turned his attention to drawing and painting, making a dramatic entrance with the massive 'Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage 'Round the World,' co-produced with Caleb Purrington. Longer than the Empire State Building is tall, the expansive work (on display at the New Bedford Whaling Museum) chronicles the complete journey of a whaling ship from start to finish. By the late 1840s, Russell had turned to lithography and produced a large number of works, primarily on the whaling industry and other nautical themes.