Travel Back in Time at the Portsmouth Guildhall

By |2023-10-13T07:34:46+01:00May 13th, 2018|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Drawings, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

Showcasing the Palaeoart of Dr Mark Witton

Tomorrow, sees the opening day of a special exhibition at the Portsmouth Guildhall (Hampshire, southern England) highlighting the artwork of world-renowned palaeoartist Dr Mark Witton.  “A Natural History of Deep Time”, takes visitors on a journey through the evolution of life on Earth through the medium of the artwork and illustrations of the Portsmouth University researcher and freelance palaeoartist.

The Late Jurassic Pterosaur Sordes pilosus Searching for a Meal

Sordes pilosus illustrated.
Eyeing up a potential meal?  The pterosaur Sordes pilosus eyes up a snail.  Artwork by Mark Witton.

Picture credit: Mark Witton

A Free Art Exhibition

The art exhibition runs from Monday 14th May until Thursday June 28th and visitors to the Portsmouth Guildhall will be able to view bizarre marine communities of the Cambrian, the first land plants and animals plus lots of dinosaurs and flying reptiles, as well as the species that have helped shape the modern world.  The gallery will include some of the most significant, spectacular and unusual species known from the fossil record. 

Dr Witton is perhaps most famous for his research on the Pterosauria – the extinct flying reptiles, cousins of the dinosaurs that shared their extinction fate at the end of the Cretaceous.  He specialises in producing scientifically credible restorations of long perished, ancient environments in amazing detail.  His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications and Dr Witton is delivering a sold-out lecture next week at the same venue entitled “The Science of Recreating Prehistoric Animals”.

An Example of the Detailed Illustrations of Dr Mark Witton (Purbeck Lagoon 145 mya)

Purbeck (Dorset) 145 million years ago.
Purbeck Lagoon 145 mya as darkness falls Durlstodon (top left) looks on whilst two Durlstotherium scurry through the undergrowth. In the centre a Durlstotherium has been caught by Nuthetes destructor.  A detailed illustration by Dr Mark Witton.

Picture credit: Mark Witton

A Natural History of Deep Time celebrates billions of years of evolution and this free exhibition of palaeoart is open from May 14th through to June 28th:

Opening times:
Monday to Friday: 9am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 2pm
Sunday: Closed

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