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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.

Tomáš Kantor in Bell Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, 2023

A Performance of Portraiture

Ralph Heimans tour
Event, Starts Friday 17 May

Join actor Tomáš Kantor for an immersive, theatrical journey through Ralph Heimans: Portraiture. Power. Influence.

HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, 2006 Ralph Heimans AM

Audio described exhibition portraits

Audio description

Audio descriptions for selected portraits from the exhibition Ralph Heimans: Portraiture. Power. Influence.

HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, 2006 Ralph Heimans AM

Ralph Heimans

Portraiture. Power. Influence.
Current exhibition

The exhibition will feature some of the most significant portraits in the artist’s career to date, from early major works such as his painting of HM Queen Mary of Denmark through to his most recent.

The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO, 2014 Ralph Heimans AM

Portraits of Power: Ralph Heimans tour

Event, Daily until Monday 27 May

Join our professional guides on this 45-minute deep dive into the work of Ralph Heimans, one of Australia’s preeminent portraitists.

HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, 2006 Ralph Heimans AM

Announcing... Ralph Heimans: Portraiture. Power. Influence.

30 November 2023
Media

In March 2024, the National Portrait Gallery will launch a major exhibition of the work of Ralph Heimans AM, the Australian artist who’s painted some of the world’s most recognisable people.

HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, 2006 Ralph Heimans AM

HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark

Ralph Heimans AM
Image
Portrait of Professor Derek Freeman

Paper weight

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2022

Joanna Gilmour delves into a collection display that celebrates the immediacy and potency of drawing as an art form in its own right.

Andrew Sayers AM

Past directors

History

Directors of the National Portrait Gallery from 1998 to today.

HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, 2006 Ralph Heimans AM

Dane reign

Magazine article by Mette Skougaard and Thomas Lyngby, 2018

Mette Skougaard and Thomas Lyngby bring eloquent context to Ralph Heimans’ portraits of Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.

The Architecture of Music (Vladimir Ashkenazy)

Observation point

Magazine article by Ralph Heimans AM, 2018

As I prepared for my recent retrospective at Frederiksborg Castle, Denmark’s National Portrait Gallery, I was struck with the feeling of looking back at a visual diary of the past 30 years.

Portrait 60

Spring 2018
Magazine

Ralph Heimans on his portraits, and features on Louis Kahan, Helena Rubinstein, Judy Cassab and Tasmanian convicts.

image not online

Portrait Donors

Listed by year
Honour board
The Architecture of Music (Vladimir Ashkenazy)
The Architecture of Music (Vladimir Ashkenazy)
The Architecture of Music (Vladimir Ashkenazy)

The Architecture of Music (Vladimir Ashkenazy), 2011

Ralph Heimans AM
Portrait, oil on canvas

Gift of Michael Crouch AC and Shanny Crouch 2017

The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: A Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2012

Imagination

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2013

Dr Sarah Engledow tells the story of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee portrait by Australian artist Ralph Heimans.

The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: A Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2012 by Ralph Heimans

Glorious

A Diamond Jubilee portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Previous exhibition, 2012

Glorious: A Diamond Jubilee portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is a collection-based display representing The Queen in the early and late years of her glittering sixty-year reign.

The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG

'Radical Restraint'
Portrait story

The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG interviews the artist who painted his portrait, Ralph Heimans.

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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 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.

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