One of Australia’s most accomplished portrait artists, Nora Heysen AM
is the daughter of landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen and his wife
Selma, herself also a talented artist. While still a student at the
School of Fine Arts in Adelaide, Nora Heysen had work purchased by the state galleries of New South Wales and South Australia. She went to London in 1934, studying at the Central School of Art
and the Byam Shaw School before returning to Australia and winning the
1938 Archibald Prize – the first woman to do so. In 1943 she became the
first woman appointed to work as an official war artist. While in New
Guinea she met Dr Robert Black (1917–1988), who she married in Sydney in
1953. Professor of Tropical Medicine in the Commonwealth Institute of
Health, University of Sydney from 1963 to 1982, his research and work
with the World Health Organisation was instrumental in controlling
malaria in the armed forces in Australia and in developing countries.
This portrait was painted at their home in College Street, Sydney, and
includes a view of the Port Jackson figs in Hyde Park, seen from their
balcony.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 1999. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Lou Klepac
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
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