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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Harold Mitchell

2001 (printed 2011)
Lorrie Graham

gelatin silver photograph on paper (sheet: 50.7 cm x 40.5 cm, image: 40.0 cm x 26.8 cm)

Harold Mitchell AC (1942-2024), businessman and philanthropist, left his home town of Stawell at seventeen to become an office boy in a Melbourne advertising agency. At twenty-four he became the media manager at USP Needham, and at thirty-three he was running the media buying operations of Masius Wynne Williams. In 1976 he opened pioneering research- and analysis-focused media company Mitchell and Partners. In 2007 he sold Mitchell and Partners and formed the media-buying concern the Mitchell Communication Group, which now has an annual turnover of more than a billion dollars. In late 2000 he launched the philanthropic Harold Mitchell Foundation. Mitchell presided over a plethora of boards including the Asthma Foundation of Victoria (1993 - 2003), the Melbourne International Arts Festival (1994 - 2001), the National Gallery of Australia (1998 - 2005), the Museums Board of Victoria (2001- 2008), and Opera Australia (1999 - 2009). He was also Chair or Director of Art Exhibitions Australia, Rebels Rugby, Tennis Australia and CARE Australia. He received an honorary doctorate in law from Deakin University in 2002, and in 2011 was named Melbournian of the Year to in recognition of his contribution to Melbourne's arts, health and education sectors.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2011
© Lorrie Graham

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Lorrie Graham (age 47 in 2001)

Harold Mitchell AC (age 59 in 2001)

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency