Snail Darter

The snail darter in Virgil Beck's painting swims under a stream of light above a rocky river bottom. Beck's peaceful scene is in stark contrast to the roaring controversy that ensued after the discovery of the endangered fish, which called into question the construction of the Tellico Dam on the Little Tennessee River that would likely eliminate the species. This painting is one of over 3,000 small-scale watercolors commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation and used for their conservation stamps. The stamps were produced from the 1930s-1990s to promote the mission and work of the National Wildlife Federation.