Skip to main content

What's on

Prizes

Watch

The Gallery

Governance & Board

Circle of Friends

Learn

Access

Search the website

close close

What's on The Portraits The Gallery Learn Watch More O

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.

Search / ben quilty

Jimmy and Jane Barnes

In Bloom

A collection of the beautiful, bold and botanical

Current exhibition

Explore the beauty and symbolism of flowers in this weird and wonderful floral extravaganza that showcases more than 50 portraits from the collection, new acquisitions and selected loans.

Marion Borgelt

Marion Borgelt

Marion Borgelt

Marion Borgelt, 2001

Portrait, watercolour on paper

Gift of Marion Borgelt 2022. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Margaret Seares

Margaret Seares, 2018

General content

Commissioned with funds provided by the Sid and Fiona Myer Family Foundation 2018

Trevor Jamieson, 2016 by Brett Canet-Gibson

The more things change...

NPPP 2017 exhibition essay

General content

Dr Sarah Engledow, National Photographic Portrait Prize judge and curator, introduces the 2017 Prize.

Portrait of Thea Proctor, 1905 by George Lambert

The real Thea

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2015

Long after the portraitist became indifferent to her, and died, a beguiling portrait hung over its subject.

The Art Lovers - Megan, 2013 by Gary Grealy

Everybody, look serious

NPPP 2014 exhibition essay

General content

Dr Sarah Engledow, National Photographic Portrait Prize judge and curator, introduces the 2014 Prize.

Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty, 2012

Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2014

Kenty Maggot 2010

Observation point

Magazine article by Ben Quilty, 2010

The Australian painter Ben Quilty discusses his approach to portraiture.

Virus, 2006 by Ben Quilty

Truth and Likeness

Previous exhibition, 2006

This exhibition seeks to explore the nature of portraiture, providing an investigation into the importance of likeness to contemporary portraits.

Lauren in Red, 2003

Is the truth of portraiture vested exclusively in likeness?

Magazine article by Michael Desmond, 2006

Curator Michael Desmond introduces the exhibition Truth and Likeness, an investigation of the importance of likeness to portraiture.

Head study for portrait of Margaret Olley

Head study for portrait of Margaret Olley

Head study for portrait of Margaret Olley

Head study for portrait of Margaret Olley, 1994

Jeffrey Smart AO

Portrait, pencil on paper

Bequest of Nick Enright AM 2004

Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley, 1998

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Gift of the artist 2003. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley, 1995

Portrait, type C photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of The Hammond Care Group 1999

Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley AC

Margaret Olley AC (1923-2011), painter, studied art at East Sydney Technical College and the Grande Chaumière in Paris.

6 portraits in the collection

Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty (b. 1973), painter, gained bachelor’s degrees in painting and visual communication at Sydney College of the Arts and the University of Western Sydney.

1 portrait in the collection

image not online

Cherry Hood

Cherry Hood (b. c. 1950), is an artist well known for her haunting, large-scale images of faces.

3 portraits in the collection

© National Portrait Gallery 2025
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