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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.

Audio description

1 minutes 27 seconds

This glazed photographic portrait is large; 87cm by 74 cm with an approximately 4cm white card mount on all sides and then a 2cm wide black wooden frame

The face of an attractive, older woman with blonde hair and blue eyes emerges from what is otherwise a uniformly dark portrait. Her gaze is direct.

From below her chin to her waist, Rosie is swathed in a dark blue, voluminous cape that merges with the black background. The fabric of the cape is thick; areas of deeper shadow only vaguely suggestive of the contours of Rosie’s torso beneath.

Rosie is angled to her right. Her fine hair is highlighted many tones of blonde. Styled to obscure her ears and parted to right, it sweeps across her lined brow and above her right eye. It’s indeterminate length tucks into her collar. The up turned collar of her deep blue cape crisply frames the left side of Rosie’s jaw, contrasting with her blonde wispy hair on the right.

Rosie’s make up enhances an even pale complexion, high arched brown eyebrows and strikingly direct, crystal blue eyes. Her nose is straight and regular with deep lines under her cheeks emphasising her closed, pale pink mouth. Rosie has a dimple at the base of her chin.

Audio description written by Annette Twyman and voiced by Carol Wellman Walker

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.

Rosie Batty

2017
Nikki Toole

type C photograph on paper (frame: 89.8 cm x 76.8 cm, sheet: 87.0 cm x 74.0 cm)

Rosie Batty AO (b. 1962), campaigner against family violence, became well known to the Australian public in early 2014, when her eleven-year-old son Luke was murdered by his father as she stood waiting to take him home from cricket practice. Increasingly erratic and aggressive over the years, his father was subject to a court order restricting his access to mother and son. After he killed Luke, police shot him; the next day, he died. Very soon after, Batty made a dignified public statement that stunned the nation. In 2015, she was Australian of the Year, using her position to call for widespread recognition of, and action on, domestic violence. The issue is now prominent in Australian public discourse, with various government initiatives, advertising campaigns, sports associations and charities maintaining the momentum. After meeting Batty, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews established Victoria's 2015 Royal Commission into Family Violence, which led to $2.7 billion in funding for prevention of violence and support for victims.


The first thing photographer Nikki Toole noticed when she met Batty were her eyes. Crystal blue, and reflecting strength and sorrow in equal measure. For the portrait, Toole wanted to capture the real Batty, with natural light and no retouching. The result is a raw, unflinching image that shows Batty's resilience and determination.

Commissioned with funds provided by the Circle of Friends 2017
© Nikki Toole

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

Nikki Toole (age 52 in 2017)

Rosie Batty AO (age 55 in 2017)

Subject professions

Activism

Supported by

National Portrait Gallery Circle of Friends (8 portraits supported)

Related portraits

1. Mark Ella, 2015. 2. Tilman Ruff, 2019. All Nikki Toole.
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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.

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