Albany's Historic Whaling Station > Records

PAINTING - WEDDELL SEAL

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Richard Ellis

c. 1975

Subcollections

Overview

Painting of spotted brown seal with small head, short snout and small front flippers, with pup of similar markings, gouache on blue card, framed and mounted with inscription (97).

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-RE1999.360

Item type

Themes

Material

Width

410 mm

Height or length

440 mm

Depth

15 mm

Weight

1.52

Inscriptions and markings

WEDDELL SEAL (Leptonychotes weddelli)
With its fat body, small head, and benign expression, the Weddell is easily recognized - if you happen to be in the Antarctic. These seals probably live farther south than any other mammal, and spend a great deal of time under the ice, breaking holes in the ice with specially developed canine teeth. Weddell seals (named for Antarctic explorer James Weddell) are among the most accomplished divers of all pinnipeds; they can remain submerged for well over an hour and descend to almost 2000 feet.
97.

Verso: Smithsonian label checklist # 97 Packing case # 5, 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

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Smithsonian Institution

Marine Mammals

Place made

United States

Year

c. 1975