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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.

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Kitty Kantilla and Freda Warlapinni at Milikapiti (Snake Bay)

Kitty Kantilla (Kutuwulumi Purawarrumpatu)

Kitty Kantilla (Kutuwulumi Purawarrumpatu) (c. 1928–2003) was the most acclaimed Tiwi artist of her generation.

1 portrait in the collection

Kitty Kantilla and Freda Warlapinni at Milikapiti (Snake Bay)

Kitty Kantilla and Freda Warlapinni at Milikapiti (Snake Bay)

Kitty Kantilla and Freda Warlapinni at Milikapiti (Snake Bay)

Kitty Kantilla and Freda Warlapinni at Milikapiti (Snake Bay), 2003

Portrait, oil on canvas

Purchased with funds provided by the Basil Bressler Bequest 2004

Kitty Kantilla and Freda Warlapinni at Milikapiti (Snake Bay)

Eye line

Magazine article by Jo Bertini, 2004

Jo Bertini describes the evolution of her portrait of artists and friends Kitty Kantilla and Freda Warlapinni.

The Aboriginal community of Lake Tyers, Gippsland

The Aboriginal community of Lake Tyers, Gippsland

The Aboriginal community of Lake Tyers, Gippsland

The Aboriginal community of Lake Tyers, Gippsland, c. 1890

an unknown artist

Portrait, albumen silver photograph on paper on card

Purchased 2010

image not online

Jo Bertini

Jo Bertini (b. 1964) is a Sydney painter, art educator, lecturer and writer.

2 portraits in the collection

Places of Worship, 2021 The Huxleys

House of Heroes

Event, Friday 20 February

The Gallery’s annual Late Night event is back in 2026! Curated by sensational duo Will and Garrett Huxley (The Huxleys), this iteration celebrates Yankunytjatjara artist Kaylene Whiskey and her vibrant exhibition Super Kaylene Whiskey.

Moby Dickens, 2022 Blak Douglas (Dunghutti, South-east region)

Why portraiture?

Magazine article by Blak Douglas, 2023

Blak Douglas reflects on his experiences, process and motivation for making portraits.

Self Portrait (Textanude) by Arlene TextaQueen

Animated

Self Portraits Online

Previous exhibition, 2008

Animated is the National Portrait Gallery's first online exhibition.

Chang the Chinese giant and party

The portrait writ large

Magazine article by Karen Vickery, 2015

Karen Vickery on Chang the Chinese giant in Australia.

Helen Borthwick née Pearson

The personal and the historical

About Face article

Where do we draw a line between the personal and the historical? Although she died in Melbourne in 1975, when I was not quite eleven years old, I have the vividest memories of my maternal grandmother Helen Borthwick.

© National Portrait Gallery 2026
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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