Albany's Historic Whaling Station > Records

PAINTING - NORTH ATLANTIC BOTTLENOSE WHALE

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Richard Ellis

c. 1975

Subcollections

Overview

Painting of mottled grey/tawny whale and lighter underside, bulbous forehead and bottle-shaped beak, gouache on blue card, framed and mounted with inscription (64).

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

Registration number

cwa-org-128-RE1999.368

Item type

Themes

Material

Width

410 mm

Height or length

440 mm

Depth

15 mm

Weight

1.52 kg

Inscriptions and markings

NORTH ATLANTIC BOTTLENOSE WHALE (Hyperoodon ampullatus)

The males and females of this species look so different that for years scientists believed they were different species. Males are lighter in color - sometimes almost white- and they have an overhanging, bulbous forehead a feature that is lacking in the females. Found only in the North Atlantic, this whale can reach a length of 30 feet. It is believed to be among the deepest - diving of all cetaceans, and has been recorded to remain submerged for over an hour. In the past the species was hunted by Scots, Danes, Icelanders, and Norwegians, but it is now considered too scarce to hunt commerically.
64.

Verso: Smithsonian label checklist # 64 Packing case # 4, AWHS accession number

Contextual information

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

Keywords

Richard Ellis

Smithsonian Institution

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Marine Mammals

Place made

United States

Year

c. 1975