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 / davida allen

image not online

Davida Allen

Davida Allen is a Queensland artist. As a student at Brisbane's Stuartholme School in the 1960s she had Betty Churcher as an art teacher.

2 portraits in the collection

Davida Allen, 2016 by Mark Mohell

Davida Allen

Explore The Popular Pet Show

Going around a gallery with a child, we point to a painting of a dog and brightly ask ‘What’s that?’ If they don’t say ‘A dog’, we tell them that’s what it is. We don’t say it’s a shape inscribed by an artist that’s popularly understood to signify a dog. That’d only serve to foster a smarty-pants.

hey, Betty (Portrait of Betty Churcher)

hey, Betty (Portrait of Betty Churcher)

hey, Betty (Portrait of Betty Churcher)

hey, Betty (Portrait of Betty Churcher), 1990

Portrait, oil on plywood

Gift of the artist 2004. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Dressing for dinner

Dressing for dinner

Dressing for dinner

Dressing for dinner, 1992

Portrait, oil on plywood

Gift of the artist 1999. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Peter Allen

Peter Allen

Peter Allen (1944–1992), singer/songwriter and entertainer, was born Peter Allen Woolnough in Tenterfield, NSW.

1 portrait in the collection

Darcey Bussell, 1994 Allen Jones

Darcey Bussell

Reverend John Allen Manton, President of the Australasian Conference and Governor of Horton College, Tasmania

John Allen Manton

John Allen Manton (1807–1864), Wesleyan minister, arrived in Australia in 1831.

1 portrait in the collection

Peter Allen

Peter Allen

Peter Allen

Peter Allen, 1980

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Purchased 2003

Reverend John Allen Manton, President of the Australasian Conference and Governor of Horton College, Tasmania

Reverend John Allen Manton, President of the Australasian Conference and Governor of Horton College, Tasmania

Reverend John Allen Manton, President of the Australasian Conference and Governor of Horton College, Tasmania

Reverend John Allen Manton, President of the Australasian Conference and Governor of Horton College, Tasmania, c. 1855

an unknown artist

Portrait, engraving on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Ted and Gina Gregg 2012

I dream of Sam Neill when I go to bed, 1986 Davida Allen

The actor, the artist, her life and her fantasies

Feeling sexy

Billie, 2016 by Graeme Drendel

The Popular Pet Show

Previous exhibition, 2016

This exhibition expresses the joy and warmth that many of us derive from our animal companions, and celebrates their trusting, unpretentious ways, with portraits of Australians and their furry, feathered and fluffy friends.

image not online

Joseph Jauffret

Joseph Jauffret was master of appeals to the French council of state from 1814 to 1836 and was created a count in 1823.

1 portrait in the collection

Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown (detail), 2006 (printed 2020) © Peter Brew-Bevan

Australian Love stories

Family, friends, fanatics and foes (and everything in between!)

Previous exhibition, 2021

Reconnect and reflect with our new major exhibition, Australian Love Stories (in real life!) as we explore love, affection and connection in all its guises.

Train travellers, 2012 by John Van-Den-Broeke

Train travellers, 2012

by John Van-Den-Broeke

Alfred Simpson

Alfred Simpson

Alfred Simpson

Alfred Simpson, c. 1866

an unknown artist

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by L Gordon Darling AC CMG 2014

Alfred Simpson

Alfred Simpson

Alfred Simpson (1805–1891), manufacturer, started his professional life as a tinsmith in his native London and also worked as a hatter before financial difficulties caused him to emigrate to Australia in 1849.

1 portrait 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