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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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The Home of the Blizzard: being the story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 (2 volumes), 1915

Sir Douglas Mawson Kt OBE FRS, Heinemann, London
Portrait, two volumes illustrated with colour and black and white plates, three folding maps

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2018

Jezeril II, 2014 by Douglas Gibson

Jezeril II, 2014

by Douglas Gibson
Image
Moby Dickens, 2022 Blak Douglas (Dunghutti, South-east region)

Why portraiture?

Magazine article by Blak Douglas, 2023

Blak Douglas reflects on his experiences, process and motivation for making portraits.

Douglas Frew Waterhouse

'A bug in the hand'
Portrait story

Australian entomologist and inventer of the Aerogard insect repellent, Douglas Frew Waterhouse describes the evolution of his career.

Douglas Dundas
Douglas Dundas
Douglas Dundas

Douglas Dundas, 1930s

Max Dupain OBE
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Gift of Danina Dupain Anderson 2018. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Portrait of Douglas Annand
Portrait of Douglas Annand
Portrait of Douglas Annand

Portrait of Douglas Annand, 1941

Max Dupain OBE
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Gift of Danina Dupain Anderson 2017. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Les Blakebrough
Les Blakebrough
Les Blakebrough

Les Blakebrough, 1971 (printed 2009)

Douglas Thompson
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2009

Col Levy
Col Levy
Col Levy

Col Levy, 1971 (printed 2009)

Douglas Thompson
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2009

Douglas Carnegie
Douglas Carnegie
Douglas Carnegie

Douglas Carnegie, 1968

Mark Strizic
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Sir Roderick Carnegie 2003

Sir Douglas Mawson
Sir Douglas Mawson
Sir Douglas Mawson

Sir Douglas Mawson, c. 1916

Thomson Studios
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Mrs J.Q. McEwin 2000

Stanley Douglas
Stanley Douglas
Stanley Douglas

Stanley Douglas, 2021

Robert Fielding
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Purchased with funds provided by the Annual Appeal for Contemporary Australian Photography 2022

Douglas Annand
Douglas Annand
Douglas Annand

Douglas Annand, 1970

Kerry Dundas
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2012

James Gleeson
James Gleeson
James Gleeson

James Gleeson, 1974 (printed 2014)

Douglas Thompson
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2015

Catherine Martin
Catherine Martin
Catherine Martin

Catherine Martin, 2001 (printed 2006)

Douglas Kirkland
Portrait, type C photograph on paper

Gift of the artist 2006

Peter Travis
Peter Travis
Peter Travis

Peter Travis, 1971 (printed 2009)

Douglas Thompson
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2009

Peter Rushforth
Peter Rushforth
Peter Rushforth

Peter Rushforth, 1971 (printed 2009)

Douglas Thompson
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2009

Eric Douglas
Eric Douglas
Eric Douglas

Eric Douglas, c. 1930

Frank Hurley OBE
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Gift of Sally Douglas 2009

Douglas Frew Waterhouse
Douglas Frew Waterhouse
Douglas Frew Waterhouse

Douglas Frew Waterhouse, 2003

Robyn Stacey
Portrait, lenticular photograph

Commissioned with funds from the Basil Bressler Bequest 2003

Douglas Mawson
Douglas Mawson
Douglas Mawson

Douglas Mawson, 1933

Henry James Haley
Portrait, oil on canvas laid on board

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Gareth Mawson Thomas and Pamela Karran-Thomas of the Mawson family 2010
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Sir Douglas Mawson

Staying home

True south #2
About Face article

Joanna Gilmour brings a mindful Douglas Mawson’s perspective to bear on the concept of isolation.

Ducker (Douglas Hamilton McLean)
Ducker (Douglas Hamilton McLean)
Ducker (Douglas Hamilton McLean)

Ducker (Douglas Hamilton McLean), 1897

Sir Leslie Ward, Vanity Fair Magazine
Portrait, chromolithograph on paper

Purchased 2015

Douglas Dundas
Douglas Dundas
Douglas Dundas

Douglas Dundas, 1950

Kerry Dundas
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2012

Douglas, 2009 by Philip Hutchison Barry

Douglas, 2009

by Philip Hutchison Barry
Image
Ngurin-Nyunggu: Ngarluma Elder, Tim Douglas, 2019 Evert Ploeg

Ngurin-Nyunggu: Ngarluma Elder, Tim Douglas

Evert Ploeg
Image
Breakfast with bats, 2017 by Douglas Philip Gimesy

Breakfast with bats, 2017

by Douglas Philip Gimesy
Image
Gladys Moncrieff
Gladys Moncrieff
Gladys Moncrieff

Gladys Moncrieff, 1920s

Ruskin
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Sally Douglas 2009

TW Edgeworth David and Vilhjalmur Stefansson
TW Edgeworth David and Vilhjalmur Stefansson
TW Edgeworth David and Vilhjalmur Stefansson

TW Edgeworth David and Vilhjalmur Stefansson, 1924

Annie May Moore
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

Catherine Martin

The love, life and art of Bazmark

Passion

Fruitful fusion

Sir Douglas Mawson

Melting an ice man

Devotion

Warm heart of mine

Dr Phillip Law
Dr Phillip Law
Dr Phillip Law

Dr Phillip Law, 1974

Dallas Hawes
Portrait, oil on canvas

Gift of Dr Phillip Law 2000. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Rosemary Madigan
Rosemary Madigan
Rosemary Madigan

Rosemary Madigan, 1992

Greg Weight
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2004. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks)
The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks)
The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks)

The great South Sea caterpillar transformed into a Bath Butterfly (Sir Joseph Banks), 1795 (printed 1851)

James Gillray
Portrait, etching, hand coloured on paper

Gift of Douglas Stewart Fine Books 2013

Tim Jarvis
Tim Jarvis
Tim Jarvis

Tim Jarvis, 2018

Doug Gimesy
Portrait, type C photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2019

Paquita Mawson
Paquita Mawson
Paquita Mawson

Paquita Mawson, late 1940s

Ingrid Erns
Portrait, oil on canvas

Gift of Gareth Mawson Thomas and Pamela Karran-Thomas of the Mawson family 2010. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

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

David Malouf

2012-13 Acquisition Fund

Annual Appeal

The Circle of Friends Acquisition Fund for 2012 was dedicated to purchasing a portrait of David Malouf by Rick Amor.

Portrait 69

Portrait 69

Magazine

In conversation with Aretha Brown, Pieter Roelofs on Vermeer, humanoid robots, the nationwide search for Archibald portraits, and 25 years of collecting at the National Portrait Gallery.

Julian Ashton Life Class
Julian Ashton Life Class
Julian Ashton Life Class

Julian Ashton Life Class, 1920

Harold Cazneaux
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Purchased 2015

John Coburn
John Coburn
John Coburn

John Coburn, 1974

Vaike Liibus
Portrait, oil on canvas

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the Liibus family 2015

Self portrait

Of ice and men

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2009

Frank Hurley's celebrated images document the heroism and minutiae of Australian exploration in Antarctica.

Linde Ivimey video: 6 minutes

Linde Ivimey

Contributing artists

Born: 1965, Sydney
Works: Sydney

Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait

Self portrait, c. 1911

Frank Hurley OBE
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Purchased 2005

Self portrait

Mysterious eyes

Arthur Boyd portraits from 1945
Previous exhibition, 2016

Boyd’s self-portrait at age 25 is joined by his equally emotive portraits of those around him.

Sir Ian Potter

Mark Strizic

A Journey in Photography
Previous exhibition, 2004

This exhibition traces the creative output of nearly 50 years by one of Australia's landmark living photographers.

Sammy Dodd

2022 Annual Appeal

Annual Appeal

In 2022 the Annual Appeal was focussed on Mayatjara by Robert Fielding, a series of 24 photographs of Elders of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara community.

Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski
Magda Szubanski

Magda Szubanski, 1997 (printed 2021)

Jacqueline Mitelman
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Purchased with funds provided by Jillian Broadbent AC 2021

William Robertson and Martha Mary Robertson
William Robertson and Martha Mary Robertson
William Robertson and Martha Mary Robertson

William Robertson and Martha Mary Robertson, 1863

William Edward Kilburn
Portrait, carte de visite photograph on card

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Malcolm Robertson in memory of William Thomas Robertson 2018. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Lucky Day, 2011 by Nikki Toole

Nikki Toole

NPPP 2012 learning resource

An interview with the photographer.

Tim Winton

2020 Annual Appeal

Annual Appeal

In 2020 the Annual Appeal was focussed on Sally Robinson's remarkable portrait of author Tim Winton.

Portrait of Mr Frank Packer

Judy Cassab

The artist's diary
Previous exhibition, 2013

The artist's diary profiles six decades of Cassab's work, from the early portrait commissions of the 1950s to later paintings that have helped confirm her eminent place in the canon of Australian portraiture.

Megan Gale

Glamour vs grunge

Magazine article by Dr Christopher Chapman, 2010

Christopher Chapman examines the battle of glamour vs. grunge which played out in the fashion and advertising of the 1990s.

Johnny O'Keefe

Making Portraits

Five Years of National Portrait Gallery Commissions
Previous exhibition, 2004

The considered matching of artist to subject has produced an amazing collection of unique and original works in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery

Jessie Street

First Ladies

Significant Australian Women 1913–2013
Previous exhibition, 2013

First Ladies profiles women who have achieved noteworthy firsts over the past 100 years.

Charlie, 2017 by Lee Grant

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2018

8 March 2018
Archived media releases 2018

Images for media use will be available from 8 March 2018.

Elle Macpherson

Australian Visit

Previous exhibition, 2006

The exhibition will include works of art from the NPG Canberra's permanent collection with some inward loans and aims to highlight the achievements of notable Australians.

Charlie, 2017 by Lee Grant

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2018

Previous exhibition, 2018

The exhibition is selected from a national field of entries, reflecting the distinctive vision of Australia's aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects.

Andy Thomas

The Final Frontier

Magazine article by Magda Keaney, 2002

Magda Keaney talks with Montalbetti+Campbell about their photographic portrait of Australian astronaut Andy Thomas.

Monument to Mrs. Moore St. Luke’s Church, Liverpool, Sydney

Waterloo and Mrs. Moore

About Face article

Beyond the centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli, a number of other notable anniversaries converge this year. Waterloo deserves a little focussed consideration, for in the decades following 1815 numerous Waterloo and Peninsular War veterans came to Australia.

Portrait of Mr Frank Packer

Vintage Cassab

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2006

The oil portrait of Sir Frank Packer KBE by Judy Cassab was gifted to the National Portrait Gallery in 2006.

Andy Thomas

Uncommon Australians

The vision of Gordon and Marilyn Darling
Previous exhibition, 2015

This exhibition showcases portraits acquired through the generosity of the National Portrait Gallery’s Founding Patrons, L Gordon Darling AC CMG and Marilyn Darling AC.

Video still from Dream Job, 2011 by David M Thomas

My dream job

Magazine article by David Thomas AM, 2012

Artist David M Thomas lists some of the ideas and influences behind his video portraits.

The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Stephen KGAK GCMG GCVO KBE QC, 2006 by Rick Amor

Prima facie

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2019

Sarah Engledow casts a judicious eye over portraits in the Victorian Bar’s Peter O’Callaghan QC Portrait Gallery.

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Annual Appeal

Listed by year
Honour board
image not online

Portrait Donors

Listed by year
Honour board
The Sands Brothers

Seeing stars

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2013

Joanna Gilmour explores photographic depictions of Aboriginal sportsmen including Lionel Rose, Dave Sands, Jerry Jerome and Douglas Nicholls.

Portrait of Cate Blanchett

Being Cate

Magazine article by Dr Christopher Chapman, 2009

A moving portrait of Cate Blanchett unfolds as an inspired pairing of medium and subject.

Arthur Boyd's studio

Boyd to man

Magazine article by Dr Christopher Chapman, 2016

Christopher Chapman looks at influences and insight in the formative years of Arthur Boyd.

In the Lounge, 2006 by North Sullivan

Seduce, Amuse, Entertain

NPPP 2007 exhibition essay
General content

Michael Desmond, National Photographic Portrait Prize judge and curator, introduces the 2007 Prize.

The hunting lodge, 2007

Seduce Amuse Entertain

Magazine article by Michael Desmond, 2007

Michael Desmond profiles a handful of the entrants in first National Photographic Portrait Prize and notes emerging themes and categories.

Thomas Sutcliffe Mort and his wife Theresa

Tiny Trace of a Colonial Giant

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2004

At just 7.8 x 6.2 cm, the daguerreotype of Thomas Sutcliffe Mort and his wife Theresa is one of the smallest works in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.

Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil de Cavagnial, Marquis de Vaudreuil, ca.1753-55

Canadian identities

Magazine article by Lilly Koltun, 2004

An exploration of national identity in the Canadian context drawn from the symposium Face to Face at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in 2004.

Dr Edward MacMahon, 1959 by William Dobell

Bill and Ted's excellent portrait.

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2016

Sarah Engledow on Messrs Dobell and MacMahon and the art of friendship.

Forest Creek, Mount Alexander Diggings, 1852 by S. T. Gill

The Rothschilds, the Montefiores, and the Victorian Gold Rush

About Face article

Some years ago my colleague Andrea Wolk Rager and I spent several days in the darkened basement of a Rothschild Bank, inspecting every one of the nearly 700 autochromes created immediately before World War I by the youthful Lionel de Rothschild.

Mark McManus as Will by Mark Strizic

In and out of focus

Magazine article by Gael Newton, 2017

Gael Newton looks at Australian photography, film and the sixties through the novel lens of Mark Strizic.

Howard Taylor

Reflections on portraiture

Magazine article by Andrew Sayers AM, 2004

An extract from the 2004 Nuala O'Flaaherty Memorial Lecture at the Queen Victoria Musuem and Art Gallery in Launceston in which Andrew Sayers reflects on the unique qualities of a portrait gallery.

Betty Bryant, c. 1939

The life of Bryant

Magazine article by Tenille Hands, 2018

Tenille Hands explores a portrait prize gifted to the National Screen and Sound Archive.

Mary Chomley

Women make history

Magazine article by Jennifer Higgie, 2022

Jennifer Higgie uncovers the intriguing stories behind portraits of women by women in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection.

Self portrait

In good company

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2015

Jean Appleton’s 1965 self portrait makes a fine addition to the National Portrait Gallery’s collection writes Joanna Gilmour.

John Monash

Lauded legacy

Magazine article by Karl James, 2015

Karl James gives short shrift to doubts about the profile of General Sir John Monash.

Dr Christopher Chapman

The art of Inner Worlds

Lecture, 7 May 2011
General content

Dr Christopher Chapman NPG Curator of Inner Worlds explains the development of an exhibition that spans from Surrealism to contemporary art.

Christmas Island

About Face article

This is my last Trumbology before, in a little more than a week from now, I pass to my successor Karen Quinlan the precious baton of the Directorship of the National Portrait Gallery.

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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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.

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