Albany's Historic Whaling Station > Records

PAINTING - SEA OTTER

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Richard Ellis

c. 1975

Subcollections

Overview

Painting of sea otter with dark brown fur and large webbed hind feet, gouache on blue card, framed and mounted with inscription (107.)

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-RE1999.344

Item type

Material

Width

410 mm

Height or length

440 mm

Depth

15 mm

Weight

1.52 kg

Inscriptions and markings

SEA OTTER (Enhydra lutris)
Once believed to be almost extinct, the sea otter has made a remarkable comeback. In the past it was hunted for its luxurious fur, from northern Japan to Baja California. By 1938 it was considered commercially extinct - hunting was no longer worthwhile. After it was fully protected, "seed populations" were discovered off Alaska and Siberia, and the animal was reintroduced into its former range, where it has prospered. There may be as many as 100,000 sea otters alive today. The smallest of the marine mammals, sea otters do not exceed five 5 in length, including tail. They spend a great deal of time floating on their backs, feeding and grooming themselves. They are among the few tool -using mammals, breaking open shellfish with rocks that they hold in their paws.
107.

Verso: Smithsonian label checklist # 107 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