The Great Whales ball

Today we speak fossil energy, whales and dance. Yes, we will! As today is the Earth Overshoot Day 2026, it seemed appropriate.

With this post, I’m kicking off a series of shorter articles. As they’re quicker to write, they’ll appear more regularly than the in-depth pieces I usually treat you to. I’m doing my best to adapt to the upheavals in my personal life – I hope you’ll enjoy them!

That cartoon show a ball… of whales.

Context: the whales and the oil

In 1859, Edwin Drake managed to drill earth to extract oil, in Titusville, PA. It was a revolution: until then, people had simply mopped up the oil that seeped to the surface. Oil production rose from 2,000 barrels a day in 1859 to over 500,000 in 1865.

This massive production led to a decline in the use of whale oil for lighting. Here, the artist imagines the joy of the whales, which would no longer (or at least, less intensely) be hunted.

Analysis

The drawing shows us whales, standing up, wearing elegant clothes, and partying hard. Banners hanging from the ceiling proudly proclaim:

• The oil wells of our native land may they never secede : a reference to North Carolina, that seceded a week earlier
• Oily gammon: probably more in the sense of “nonsense, deceit” and not as in smoked ham
• We wail no more for our blubber
• Mineral oil
• Oil wells that ends well: with a clever pun

This funny cartoon reminds us that the ball is not only about dancing, but also drinking and eating!

For more information about this cartoon, please visit this website.