Search / thomas cook

The hand of Captain Cook

Take a close look at a portrait with a hidden message in its hands. For Year 7 – 9 students.

She saved his life. He showed her painting.

Leaders, painters, friends

A head for business and a heart for love

For love, not money

The last bushrangers

Brothers in harms

In Conversation

Join us with Maggie Beer AO, cook restaurateur and businesswoman and Del Kathryn Barton, artist, in celebration of the National Portrait Gallery's most recent commissioned portrait, Maggie, 2023 by Del Kathryn Barton.

Welcome home, Captain Bligh

The National Portrait Gallery will, next Tuesday, unveil an exciting new acquisition of irrefutable importance to all Australians. Portrait of William Bligh, in master’s uniform c. 1776, attributed to John Webber, is one of the earliest portraits of the contentious, historical figure, and extends the Gallery’s remarkable collection of early colonial portraits.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 winner announced

Finalists have been eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Winner and Highly Commended for the National Photographic Portrait Prize since December. It is our pleasure to announce the Winner for 2018 is Lee Grant for her portrait titled Charlie and Highly Commended has been awarded to Filomena Rizzo for her portrait titled My Olivia.

The Hinders: doyens of Australian modernism

Progressive partnership

Who is Lillie Roberts?

Talented wife for a talented husband

To coin a (farewell) phrase

A penny for their thoughts

Street fare

The late Georgian and early Victorian working classes often bought their food in ale-houses, chop-houses and ‘penny pie shops’, or purchased their meals day after day in the streets.

Icons Syndicate

Allow me to introduce...

These full-length figures in watercolour, gouache and pencil date mostly from the 1820s, and almost all come from the collection of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart.

Alfredo Esquillo Jr

Born in Manila in 1972, Alfredo Esquillo Jr majored in painting at University of Santo Thomas.

Presenting… Shirley Purdie’s Ngalim-Ngalimbooroo Ngagenybe

The National Portrait Gallery this week launches an online exhibition of Shirley Purdie’s remarkable self-portrait Ngalim-Ngalimbooroo Ngagenybe to coincide with Reconciliation Week.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2018

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

Portrait Donors

Michelle Simmons, 2018

Commissioned with funds provided by the Sid and Fiona Myer Family Foundation 2018

Storytelling

The fourth row of paintings interweave Ngarranggarni, memories, relationships and Country.

Andrew Sayers AM FAHA

The Chairman, Board, Director and staff mourn the loss of the National Portrait Gallery's inaugural director.

History

How the National Portrait Gallery and its unique collection came to be

Memories

The second row of paintings recall stories relating to specific sites, experiences and activities.

Exhibition opening speech

Leo Schofield introduces the exhibition, Masters of fare: chefs, winemakers, providores.

Uncommon Australians

Sarah Engledow writes about Gordon and Marilyn Darling and their support for the National Portrait Gallery throughout its evolution.

Arcadia: Sound of the sea

One night in the spring of 1970 in an old house in Whale Beach, north of Sydney, John Witzig, Albe Falzon and David Elfick put together the first issue of Tracks, playing Neil Young’s album Harvest over and over again as they pasted up galleys of type.

NPPP 2016 exhibition essay

Penny Grist, National Photographic Portrait Prize judge and curator, introduces the 2016 Prize.

The Bare story

Curator, Penny Grist, reveals how this exhibition came to be

Some prime ministers

Sarah Engledow explores the history of the prime ministers and artists featured in the exhibition.