‘Duria Antiquior’ (or A More Ancient Dorset), is a watercolour painted in 1830 by Henry De La Beche.
It is the first pictorial reconstruction of the Jurassic Life of Dorset, based on the evidence from fossils found by Mary Anning.
The creatures it illustrates were all discovered by Mary, and include an Ichthyosaur, Plesiosaur, Pterosaur, Belemnite, Ammonite and Crinoid.
Prints of the original painting were sold to raise much needed funds for Mary.
This art form is now known as ‘palaeoart’.
A copy of this painting is in the Seaton Jurassic exhibition.
