Thomas ‘Tam’ Purves (1909–1969) and Anne Purves founded the
Australian Galleries in Collingwood, Melbourne in 1956. Tam managed the
business aspects, while Anne dealt with the art. As a team, they
pioneered professional dealing in contemporary art in Australia,
promoting the careers of artists who became some of the most significant
names in 20th-century Australian art.
John Brack began exhibiting at the Australian Galleries in 1957.
Although he didn’t consider himself a portraitist, he created a number
of portraits that, like his paintings of unnamed people and faces, are
finely observed, sometimes austere examinations of everyday life and
experiences. As his widow Helen Brack explained: ‘In John’s view, mere
likenesses were not portraits; a portrait was about identity, the
disposition – not the persona – and the whole picture was the portrait,
the configuration in the rectangle and use of picture space.’ She said
of this painting: ‘here is an essay about a businessman, and John makes
no concessions.’ Perpetuated by the Purves’ son Stuart, Australian
Galleries is still in operation and is Australia’s longest-surviving
commercial art business.
Purchased 2012
© Helen Brack
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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