Please be advised: this website contains the names, images and voices of people who are now deceased.

Collections WA has a responsibility to preserve and make accessible the history and culture of Western Australia in all its various forms. The intention of Collections WA is to support research, and to reveal actions of the past that have impacted upon communities, families, and individuals.

In doing so, Collections WA acknowledges the need to respond sensitively and appropriately in cases when accessing this material may be confronting to Aboriginal visitors and clients.

Please also note: Some historical materials within this portal may include language or opinions that today are considered inappropriate or even offensive. Collections WA does not endorse this language and apologises for any distress caused.

Continue

Continue showing cultural advice

Stop showing cultural advice

Collections WA brings together collections from libraries, galleries, museums, archives, historical societies, cultural organisations, community groups and other collecting organisations across Western Australia.

Albany's Historic Whaling Station > Records

PAINTING - SOUTHERN GIANT BOTTLENOSE WHALE

« Prev Item Next Item »

Richard Ellis

c. 1975

Subcollections

Richard Ellis Collection

Overview

Painting of dark grey spotted whale with white tip on snout, gouache on blue card, framed and mounted with inscription (59.)

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-RE1999.362

Item type

Artworks

Themes

Material

Card

Glass

Gouache

Metal

Paper

Width

410 mm

Height or length

440 mm

Depth

15 mm

Weight

1.52 kg

Inscriptions and markings

SOUTHERN GIANT BOTTLENOSE WHALE (Barardius arnuxii)
The Southern Giant Bottlenose is the only four-toothed whale found in the waters of the southern hemisphere. It has been recorded mostly from stranded specimens from Australia, new Zealand, Argentina, Tierra del Fuego, and the Antarctic. One of the largest of the beaked whales, it reaches a length of 32 feet. Unlike most other species, both the male and female have teeth.
59.

Verso: Smithsonian label checklist # 59 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

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

Public location

Colin Green Gallery

Google Maps search term / URL

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Albany's+Historic+Whaling+Station

Last modified

Wednesday, 15 October, 2025

Completeness

100

Copyright and Reference

Copyright and Reference

Rights category

Other

Permissions

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

Rights 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 black and grey whale with white spotted markings on blue card with inscription.

Media reuse | View full size | Item feedback

Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->

Full size unavailable (you're already seeing this image in its highest resolution available on Collections WA)

Loading...