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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.

'The portraits of Captain Cook'

An interview with Betty Churcher
Portrait story

Betty Churcher describes the creation of the portrait of Captain James Cook in the National Portrait Gallery.

Phrenology video: 3 minutes 25 seconds

Ned Kelly and death masks

'Judge a person by their cover'
Portrait story

Alexandra Roginski explains the history behind the pseudo-science of phrenology.

Tom Carroll

Portrait story

Regarded as one of the greatest surfers of all time, Tom Carroll describes his career.

Akira Isogawa

Inside the patterns
Portrait story

Iconic Australian fashion designer, Akira Isogawa discusses the development of his unique style.

Tan Le

'So many stars'
Portrait story

Tech entrepreneur Tan Le and photographer John Tsiavis.

Michael Leunig

'Drawing the human spirit'
Portrait story
Philosopher, cartoonist and national treasure, Michael Leunig discusses his art.
 

Cadel Evans

'I believed in myself'
Portrait story

Australian champion cyclist Cadel Evans discusses his career.

Ken Done

'I am very Sydney'
Portrait story

Iconic Australian artist Ken Done discusses his life and career as a painter.

Aldo Giurgola

by Mandy Martin
Portrait story

Romaldo Giurgola talks about his portrait and the relationship between architecture and landscape.

Marilyn Darling interview video: 2 minutes

Marilyn Darling

by Anne Zahalka
Portrait story

Marilyn Darling talks about the creation of her portrait, and the photographic process.

Christos Tsiolkas

'Learning to write saved my life'
Portrait story

Acclaimed Australian author, Christos Tsiolkas describes his childhood and how he came to write.

Jacqueline Mitelman

'Buddha-nature'
Portrait story

Australian photographer, Jacqueline Mitelman, discusses her process for creating portraiture.

Peter Sculthorpe

'Brings in the sun'
Portrait story

Legendary Australian composer, Peter Sculthorpe, describes the development of his career.

Kate Grenville

'The secret river'
Portrait story

Kate Grenville reads a passage from her novel The secret river and describes its creation.

Mark Webber

'You've got to make of it what you will'
Portrait story

Champion racing driver, Mark Webber, discusses his childhood and racing career.

Mark Loane

'The small space we are given'
Portrait story

Ophthalmic surgeon and former Wallabies Captain, Mark Loane, discusses his sporting and professional career.

David McAllister

'Complex stories without words'
Portrait story

Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister describes the trajectory of his relationship with dance.

Shane Gould

'Swimming is in my bones'
Portrait story

Shane Gould, Australian champion and Olympic gold medallist talks about her passion for swimming.

Betty Churcher

'Blockbuster Betty'
Portrait story

Betty Churcher discusses her career as the Director of the National Gallery of Australia.

Mark Richards

No choice, you’re going surfing, son
Portrait story

Australian surfing legend Mark Richards describes his professional surfing and surfboard shaping careers.

Glenn Murcutt

'Strength and delicacy'
Portrait story

Award-winning Australian architect, Glenn Murcutt describes the philosophy of his architectural practice and his minimalist portrait by Ken Done.

Rosie Batty

'Together we will give victims a voice and demand our leaders act'
Portrait story

The 2015 Australian of the Year talks about grief and searching for recognition of, and action on, domestic violence.

Michelle Simmons

Eureka moment
Portrait story

Professor Michelle Simmons and photographer Selina Ou.

Rod McNicol

'Life and Times'
Portrait story

Echoing 19th-century photography, Rod McNicol's portraits give us a chance to look quietly at the human condition.

Tim Flannery by Robert Hannaford 'The space around', video: 3 minutes and 21 seconds

Tim Flannery by Robert Hannaford

'The space around'
Portrait story

Tim Flannery and artist Robert Hannaford discuss the creation of Tim's portrait.

Professor Graeme Clark

'Scientific creativity'
Portrait story

Creator of the bionic ear, the Cochlear Implant, Professor Graeme Clark discusses his life and career.

Bob Brown

In defence of the 'leech ridden ditch'
Portrait story

Bob Brown discusses the events that occurred during the Franklin River campaign as depicted in his portrait by Harold 'The Kangaroo' Thornton.

Brian Schmidt

'A celebration of science'
Portrait story

Astrophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate and Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University, Professor Brian Schmidt chats about his career.

Catherine Livingstone

A conversation between artist and subject
Portrait story

Businesswoman Catherine Livingstone and artist Mathew Lynn.

David Foster

'What the tree saw'
Portrait story

World champion woodcutter David Foster and artist Jacqui Stockdale.

Andrew Gaze video: 6 minutes 26 seconds

Andrew Gaze

'Make it fun'
Portrait story

Basketballer Andrew Gaze and photographer George Fetting.

Jessica Mauboy

'Chaos and stillness'
Portrait story

Singer, songwriter and actress Jessica Mauboy with artist David Rosetzky.

Gordon Darling

by Jiawei Shen
Portrait story

Gordon Darling talks about how Jiawei Shen came to paint his portrait.

Robert Drewe

An interview with Nicholas Harding
Portrait story

Artist Nicholas Harding talks about what was captured in his portrait of Robert Drewe.

Nikki Toole

'Beauty and strength'
Portrait story

Photographer Nikki Toole describes the creation of her portrait of Rosie Batty.

Kate Grenville

'Making Stories'
Portrait story

Australian writer Kate Grenville discusses her career and portrait by Jenny Sages.

Mandyam Srinivasan

'Hive minds'
Portrait story

An interview with Professor of Visual Neuroscience, University of Queensland, Mandyam Srinivasan.

Portrait of Cate Blanchett

by David Rosetzky
Portrait story

David Rosetzky and Cate Blanchett talk about the creation of their video portrait.

Nicholas Harding

'A portrait of Hugo Weaving'
Portrait story

Artist Nicholas Harding talks about how he became interested in portraiture, and his motivation in painting Hugo Weaving.

David Chalmers

'Consciousness, iPhones and philosophical zombies'
Portrait story

Professor David Chalmers explains his interest in philosophy and introduces some of his theories on the conscious mind.

David Malouf

'The person who is the writer'
Portrait story

Australian author David Malouf discusses the creation of his portrait by artist Rick Amor.

Shane Maloney and Rick Amor

'Big canvas, small head'
Portrait story

Artist Rick Amor and author Shane Maloney relate divergent experiences of the creation of Shane's portrait.

William Bligh by John Webber video: 2 minutes

William Bligh

by John Webber
Portrait story

Twice rebelled against, and twice vindicated, William Bligh occupies an ambivalent space in Australian history. Angus Trumble, former Director of the National Portrait Gallery, explains.

Captain Cook

'The photojournalists of their time'
Portrait story

An exploration of the role of artists such as John Webber who, whilst a member of Cook’s crew over many voyages, created paintings and drawings of the situations and people the explorers encountered.

Kristin Headlam with Chris Wallace-Crabbe 'Poetry, painting and princesses', video: 3 minutes 9 seconds

Kristin Headlam with Chris Wallace-Crabbe

'Poetry, painting and princesses'
Portrait story

Artist Kristin Headlam and poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe discuss their art.

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.

Quentin Bryce

'To change the world'
Portrait story

Australia's 25th Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, discusses her childhood, career paths and her portrait by Michael Zavros.

Marcia Langton, Brook Andrew and Trent Walter

'A big idea'
Portrait story

Professor Marcia Langton, artist Brook Andrew and printer Trent Walter discuss the creation of Marcia's portrait.

Dave Graney and Clare Moore

'Why would you want to listen to pub rock?'
Portrait story

Dave Graney and Clare Moore discuss music, photography and bandoleros of meat.

Michael Riley's portraits

Portrait story

Linda Burney, Brenda Croft and Darrell Sibosado share memories of Michael Riley and his photographic practice.

Nora Heysen

'This peaceful spot'
Portrait story

Australian artist, Nora Heysen, discusses her childhood and the development of her career.

Professor Frank Fenner

'A White Shirt'
Portrait story

An interview with Professor Frank Fenner who describes his life and the creation of his portrait.

Andrew Mezei

'From Earth to Sky'
Portrait story

Artist Andrew Mezei talks about his art practice and the process behind his portrait of Professor Penny Sackett. 

Penny Sackett and Andrew Mezei

From Earth to Sky
Portrait story

Professor Penny Sackett and artist Andrew Mezei describe the process behind making the portrait.

Penny Sackett

From Earth to Sky
Portrait story

Professor Penny Sackett, Australian National University and former Chief Scientist for Australia (2008-2011) talks about her life in science.

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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