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Albany's Historic Whaling Station > Records

PAINTING - GREY SEAL

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Richard Ellis

c. 1985

Subcollections

Richard Ellis Collection

Overview

Painting of family of 3 seals, long hooked -shaped noses. - adult is grey all over; adult female - grey with black spots, with white pup, gouache on blue card, framed and mounted with inscription (90).

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-RE1999.359

Item type

Themes

Material

Width

410 mm

Height or length

440 mm

Depth

15 mm

Weight

1.52 kg

Inscriptions and markings

GREY SEAL (Halichoerus grypus)
Because they occupy some of the same habitats, grey seals are sometimes confused with harbor seals. Greys are larger and have a much longer snout, accounting for the Canadian name of "horse-head." There are populations of grey seals in Canada and various locations in north western Europe, but the largest concentration is around the British Isles, where fishermen and hunters have repeatedly clashed with conservationists.
90.

Verso: Smithsonian label checklist # 90 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

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Smithsonian Institution

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

Last modified

Wednesday, 15 October, 2025

Completeness

100

Copyright and Reference

Copyright and Reference

Copyright category

Other

Permissions

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

Copyright holder

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Other items by Richard Ellis

Other items from Albany's Historic Whaling Station

Painting of family of 3 seals, 2 adult grey's and white pup, on blue card with inscription.

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