PAINTINGS - SPOTTER DOLPHIN (11) & SPINNER DOLPHIN (12)

c. 1975
Subcollections
Overview

Painting of dolphins (a) Spotter Dolphin - White spotted, with dark grey cape from the dorsal fin to tail, lighter gray side and underbelly, and long, slender, white-tipped beak (11.) b) Spinner Dolphin - Slender with a dark gray dorsal cape, light gray sides, white underbelly, and long beak (12.); gouache on blue card, framed and mounted with inscription.

Historical information

Collection of 106 of paintings by Richard Ellis that were selected by the Smithsonian Institution to form a traveling exhibit of the marine mammals of the world. The collection was purchased by Perth businessman Kevin Parry in 1985 and donated to Whale World, now known as Albany's Historic Whaling Station.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-128-RE1999.316a,b
Item type
Width
820 mm
Height or length
430 mm
Depth
15 mm
Inscriptions and markings

SPOTTER DOLPHIN (Stenella attenuata)
One of the dolphin species involved in the "tuna-porpoise" controversy, the spotter is found throughout the tropical Pacific, often in huge schools. For reasons still poorly understood, dolphins and tuna can be trapped together in nets and, prior to 1972, hundreds of thousands of dolphins were drowned. As of 1982, the quota is down to some 20,000 dolphins per year. The spotter is one of the fastest of all dolphins, having been timed at speeds of over 20mph. There are now thought to be at least fie subspecies of spotters, discovered only when scientists were able to examine and compare specimens caught in tuna nets over the last 15 years.
11.

SPINNER DOLPHIN (Stenella longirostris)
This slender, graceful dolphin is named for its habit of leaping from the water and spinning on its long axis, sometimes as many as six times before splashing down. The actual reason for this behavior is unknown-males, females, and juveniles all do it - but it is thought to serve some sort of communications function. spinners have long, narrow snouts and perky, vertical dorsal fins that hook so far forward in some forms that it looks as if it's on backwards. A tropical species, spinners are also caught in tuna nets, but not in such large numbers as spotters. Mixed schools of spinners and spotters are sometimes encountered.
12.

Verso Smithsonian label checklist # 11, 12, Packing case c.1) Reframed RE1999.316(a) (b) No longer anything on verso.

Contextual information

The paintings represent a body of work by well-known American marine conservationist, author, artist and natural historian Richard Ellis (1938-2024).

Place made
United States
Year
Primary significance criteria
Artistic or aesthetic significance
Scientific or research significance
Comparative significance criteria
Object’s condition or completeness
Rare or representative
Well provenanced
Public location
Parry Gallery
Last modified
Wednesday, 15 October, 2025
Completeness
100
Permissions

Reproduction or publication with Albany’s Historic Whaling Station permission only.

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Painting of dolphins (a) Spotter Dolphin -  White spotted, with dark grey cape from the dorsal fin to tail, lighter gray side and underbelly, and long, slender,  white-tipped  beak (11.) b) Spinner Dolphin - Slender with a dark gray dorsal cape, light gray sides, white underbelly, and long beak (12.), on blue card with inscription.

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