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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.

Ada Crossley
Ada Crossley
Ada Crossley
Rotary Photo Company Ltd

Ada Crossley, c. 1900

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on card

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Roger Neill 2009

Ada Crossley
Ada Crossley
Ada Crossley
Talma Studios, Sydney

Ada Crossley, 1903

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph, sepia tone on paper on card

Purchased 2022

Ada Crossley

Ada Jemima Crossley

Biography

Ada Jemima Crossley (1874–1929), singer, was one of several Australian-born divas to achieve an international reputation in the late nineteenth century.

2 portraits in the collection

Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait
Bess Norriss Tait

Self portrait, 1909

Portrait, watercolour and bodycolour on cardboard

Purchased with funds provided by Barbara and Jim Higgins 2010

Amy Castles
Amy Castles
Amy Castles
Falk Studios

Amy Castles, c. 1899

Portrait, albumen silver photograph on cardboard (Paris Panel)

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Jim and Barbara Higgins 2012

Amy Castles
Amy Castles
Amy Castles
The Swiss Studios, Melbourne

Amy Castles, c. 1902

Portrait, albumen silver photograph on cardboard (Paris Panel)

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Jim and Barbara Higgins 2012

image not online

Darren McDonald

Biography

Darren McDonald gained his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) degree from RMIT in 2000, having completed an associate diploma in painting at the same institution.

1 portrait in the collection

Amy Castles

Amy Castles

Biography

Amy Castles (1880–1951), soprano, was born in Melbourne and educated at schools in Bendigo, where her family lived from the early 1880s.

4 portraits in the collection

Self portrait with scarf

Rupert Bunny

Biography

Rupert Charles Wulsten Bunny (1864–1947) was one of the most celebrated Australian expatriate artists of his generation, achieving a degree of success in Paris in the 1890s and early 1900s that was unmatched by his peers.

3 portraits in the collection

Self portrait

Small worlds

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2010

Bess Norriss Tait created miniature watercolour portraits full of character and life.

Portrait sketch of Nellie Melba

Doodles of the Diva

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2010

Three tiny sketches of Dame Nellie Melba in the NPG collection were created by the artist who was to go on to paint the most imposing representation of the singer: Rupert Bunny.

© National Portrait Gallery 2026
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

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