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Patrick White and Manoly Lascaris

1987
Max Dupain OBE

gelatin silver photograph on paper (sheet: 40.7 cm x 25.1 cm, image: 28.0 cm x 24.8 cm)

Writer Patrick White (1912–1990) met Manoly Lascaris (1912–2003) at a party in Alexandria, Egypt in 1941. They were 29. White was serving as an intelligence officer with the Royal Air Force, and Lascaris was waiting to join the Royal Greek Army. The acquaintance who introduced them thought it wouldn't last, and White conceded that 'there were the added complications of a secret society that convention forced us to join'. Despite this, they lived together in Cairo after the war ended and then returned to Australia and settled at Dogwoods, a farm at Castle Hill north-west of Sydney, in 1948. White's third novel, The Aunt's Story, was published that year, but sales of it were so poor that he wondered whether he'd write any more novels and set about making a living from the farm instead. They bred schnauzers, and sold flowers, milk, cream and vegetables. The next three of White's novels – The Tree of Man, Voss, and Riders in the Chariot – were published between 1955 and 1961. In 1963 the couple moved to a house at Centennial Park. In addition to plays, screenplays and the autobiography Flaws in the Glass, White produced volumes of short stories and poetry and a further seven novels including The Eye of the Storm, A Fringe of Leaves and The Vivisector between 1964 and 1987. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973. The Australian of the Year for 1974, White was one of the first six people to be named a Companion of the Order of Australia when the Australian honours system came into being in 1975. Increasingly disillusioned by Australia's superficiality and complacency, however, he rejected the honour following the dismissal of the Whitlam government, and remained outspoken on various social and political issues for the rest of his life.

White once described Lascaris as 'this small Greek of immense moral strength, who became the central mandala in my life's hitherto messy design', and their partnership lasted until his death in 1990. 'Patrick made me happy at once,' Lascaris recollected of their meeting 50 years earlier, 'and I think I made Patrick happy.' Lascaris remained in the Centennial Park house up until a few months before his own death in 2003.

Gift of Danina Dupain Anderson 2018. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Max Dupain/Copyright Agency, 2024

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.
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3 minutes 13 seconds
Show transcript

Artist and subject

Max Dupain OBE (age 76 in 1987)

Patrick White (age 75 in 1987)

Manoly Lascaris (age 75 in 1987)

Donated by

Danina Dupain Anderson (47 portraits)

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

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