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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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Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty

Ben Quilty, 2012

Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2014

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

Andrew Quilty

Andrew Quilty left school after completing Year 10 in 1999, and went to study photography at TAFE, graduating in 2004.

1 portrait in the collection

At sunrise, a balloon seller makes his way through an informal settlement for families displaced by fighting in Afghanistan’s provinces, beside Kabul’s national cricket stadium, 2014 Andrew Quilty

This is Afghanistan

Magazine article by Andrew Quilty, 2023

Walkley Award-winning photojournalist Andrew Quilty shares an extract from his new book, a powerful visual record of his nine years in Afghanistan.

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.

Portrait 70

Portrait 70

Kim Leutwyler on her portraits of the LGBTQIA+ community, Oliver Giles chats to Polly Borland, Gunggandji artist Simone Arnol, and Andrew Quilty's new book.

image not online

Michael Desmond

Michael Desmond worked at the National Portrait Gallery first as Senior Curator from 2006 to 2011 then as Deputy Director until 2012.

Kenty Maggot 2010

Observation point

Magazine article by Ben Quilty, 2010

The Australian painter Ben Quilty discusses his approach to portraiture.

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.

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

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

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

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.

Paddy Bedford

Paddy Nyunkuny Bedford

Paddy Nyunkuny Bedford (1920/1924–2007), also known as Goowoomji or Guwumji, artist and Gija elder, was born on Bedford Downs Station, near Warmun in Western Australia.

1 portrait in the collection

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

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.

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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.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency