The boy's over on SVPoW posted this lovely picture by the very talented Brian Engh (click for his website) of some Diamantinasaurus in a cave.
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| By Brian Engh |
I love the piece. It is visually stunning, well composed, and just overall nice to look at.
Where I'm taking issue is whether this piece should be remotely taken serious as scientific palaeo-art. As to me SVPoW is a beacon of scientific standards. They endorse this, so to me that says it has some scientific salt (which the Sauropods in the pic are now licking :P )
The issue I have is there is no evidence what's so ever that Sauropods could or would want to go into a cave (that alone one filled with glow worms... which by they're very nature live in very dark dark places), and so to me this is a lovely piece. However it is just a pretty fantasy. There is certainly a place for fantasy palaeo-art (Flying Trilobites, flying Trilobites), but should we be holding it up as scientifically accurate?
I need to overcome my palaeo apathy/burnout and finish my All Yesterday's post, as this is an example of why I sort of fear this new movement. I think it is a push TOO much away from conservative palaeo-art. We start to run into the realm of just making stuff up. Which to me this piece is entirely.
However rather than revamp the whole argument here, and steal their thunder for posting it first, head over to this SVPoW post and join the discussion with your thoughts and take on this piece and the Yesterday's movement.