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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.

Andree Johnston-Bell

c. 1945
Walter Langhammer

oil on canvas (frame: 102.5 cm x 93.5 cm, support: 88 cm x 79.5 cm)

Andree Johnston-Bell (1917-2007), pioneer publisher of articles on Australian antiques, was born in China of Belgian parents and educated in Belgium. After living for a time in Shanghai, she moved to Bombay early in World War 2. There, she became the editor of the Onlooker, a monthly glossy magazine, and moved in political and artistic circles, meeting Nehru, Gandhi and Tata. She married David Johnston-Bell, who was serving with Lord Mountbatten; they became friends with the Langhammers, and collected works by the artists in the Progressive School. After moving to Australia in 1950 the Johnston-Bells bought magazines including The Australian Collector, which under Andree's editorship soon became something of a collector's item in itself. One of her triumphs was the publication of previously-unseen engravings of botanical specimens collected by Banks and Solander. In retirement, she translated seventeenth-century French manuscripts.

Walter Langhammer fled the Nazis in Austria for India, becoming first art director of the Times of India in about 1936. He was soon surrounded by an 'in crowd' of fellow European refugees - professionals, artists, doctors and industrialists - who became important patrons of contemporary artists in Bombay.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Jocelyne MacLeod 2008

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

Walter Langhammer (age 40 in 1945)

Andree Johnson-Bell (age 28 in 1945)

Subject professions

Media and communications

Donated by

Jocelyne Macleod (1 portrait)

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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