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William Bligh (1754-1817), naval officer, was born in Plymouth and first went to sea at around the age of eight.
3 portraits in the collection

The life of William Bligh offers up a handful of the most remarkable episodes in the history of Britain’s eighteenth and early nineteenth-century maritime empire.



Purchased with funds provided by the Liangis family 2015



Purchased 2010

Joanna Gilmour explores the 1790 portrait of William Bligh by Robert Dodd.

Twice rebelled against, and twice vindicated, William Bligh occupies an ambivalent space in Australian history. Angus Trumble, former Director of the National Portrait Gallery, explains.



Purchased with funds provided by the Ian Potter Foundation 2008

Joanna Gilmour recounts the story of ill-fated sea voyages in the early stages of the Antipodean colony.



Purchased 2013



Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2012



Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2014



Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2016



Purchased 2010



Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2011



Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Caltex Australia Ltd 2008



Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by L Gordon Darling AC CMG 2003