The Hunted Whale

The Hunted Whale is a spectacular photographic exploration of the material culture of American whaling in the age of sail. Before the coming of steam and diesel ships with instruments of mechanized slaughter, the hunt was a relatively even contest, as can be seen in the frail construction of the whale boat that was "beached" on the living whale's back or by the fantastically deformed shapes of surviving harpoons and irons. Many aspects of the sperm whale's unusual physiology are illustrated here, as are the whaler's personal belongings: hats, gloves, and scrimshaw-the intricate carvings made from the whale's teeth.