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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.

Junior Maggie, 2009 by Warwick Baker

Junior Maggie, 2009

by Warwick Baker
Image
Hugh 2015, by Warwick Baker

Warwick Baker

Tough & Tender
General content

The photographs in Tough and tender by Warwick Baker reveal intimate connections and moments of closeness. 

Warwick Thornton
Warwick Thornton
Warwick Thornton

Warwick Thornton, 2019 (printed 2022)

Susan Stitt ACS
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Gift of the artist 2022

Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly

Paul Kelly, 2013

Warwick Thornton
Portrait, single channel moving image, colour, sound, 8 minutes 54 seconds

Commissioned with funds provided by Ian Darling 2013

Sir Warwick Fairfax
Sir Warwick Fairfax
Sir Warwick Fairfax

Sir Warwick Fairfax, 1981

Bryan Westwood
Portrait, oil on canvas

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of John Fairfax Holdings Ltd 2002
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree, 2023 Nell, Warwick Edgington (Studio Assistant) , Annette Blair and Belinda Toll, Canberra Glassworks (Glass) , Crawfords Casting (Bronze) , Eveleigh Works (Steel)

Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree

Nell, Warwick Edgington (Studio Assistant) , Annette Blair and Belinda Toll, Canberra Glassworks (Glass) , Crawfords Casting (Bronze) , Eveleigh Works (Steel)
Image
Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree
Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree
Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree

Self-nature is subtle and mysterious - Tree Woman / Woman Tree, 2023

Nell, Warwick Edgington, Annette Blair and Belinda Toll, Canberra Glassworks, Crawfords Casting, Eveleigh Works
Portrait, bronze, patinas, stainless steel, hand blown glass

Purchased with funds provided by the Portrait Dinner Series 2023

Hugh 2015, by Warwick Baker

Friends

About Face article

Warwick Baker’s photos of his friends are intimate. They hold a stillness that allows their subjects to be at ease.

Spencer 2016, by Warwick Baker

Tough & Tender

Previous exhibition, 2016

Art by Warwick Baker, Chris Burden, Larry Clark, Rozalind Drummond, Nan Goldin, Robert Mapplethorpe and Collier Schorr explores personal relations, individual expression and fluid identity.

Rowan McNamara, 2008 by Mark Rogers

Rowan McNamara, 2008

by Mark Rogers
Image
Marcie Elizabeth Wilson
Marcie Elizabeth Wilson
Marcie Elizabeth Wilson

Marcie Elizabeth Wilson, 1922

George Lambert
Portrait, pencil on paper

Gift of the Simpson family in memory of Caroline Simpson OAM 2008. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Spencer 2016, by Warwick Baker

Tough & Tender Media Release

14 July 2016
Archived media releases 2016

Photographs from internationally acclaimed artists Robert Mapplethorpe, Larry Clark, Nan Goldin, Collier Schorr and Chris Burden along with contemporary Australian artists, Rozalind Drummond and Warwick Baker will call the National Portrait Gallery home during our extraordinary winter exhibition Tough and Tender.

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Help warm the Canberra community

4 July 2016
Archived media releases 2016

National Portrait Gallery and the St Vincent de Paul Society are asking Canberrans to pick up their knitting needles and crochet hooks to create warm winter scarves to assist people in need.

Sir Vincent Fairfax
Sir Vincent Fairfax
Sir Vincent Fairfax

Sir Vincent Fairfax, 1981

Bryan Westwood
Portrait, oil on canvas

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of John Fairfax Holdings Ltd 2002
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Portrait of Charles Blackman
Portrait of Charles Blackman
Portrait of Charles Blackman

Portrait of Charles Blackman, 1979

Judy Cassab AO CBE
Portrait, oil on canvas

Gift of Warwick Evans 2021. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Paul Kelly, 1992 by Wendy McDougall

Paul Kelly and The Portraits

Previous exhibition, 2013

Aspects of singer songwriter Paul Kelly’s performance persona are communicated by portraits selected from a range of artists and leading music photographers in this focus exhibition.

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Icons Syndicate

Lists alphabetically
Honour board
Jack Brabham
Jack Brabham
Jack Brabham

Jack Brabham, 1967 (printed 2012)

Brian McInerney
Portrait, inkjet print on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2012

Sir Ian McLennan
Sir Ian McLennan
Sir Ian McLennan

Sir Ian McLennan, c. 1978

Bryan Westwood
Portrait, oil on board

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of BHP Billiton 2003
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Sir Ian Potter
Sir Ian Potter
Sir Ian Potter

Sir Ian Potter, 1973

Bryan Westwood
Portrait, oil on composition board

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Lady Primrose Potter 2006
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Paul Kelly, 1992 by Wendy McDougall

Paul Kelly and The Portraits media information

18 June 2013
Archived media releases 2013

Paul Kelly & The Portraits presents a multifaceted image of the performer over the course of his career.

James Oswald Fairfax

The Fairfax Gift

Magazine article by Andrew Sayers AM, 2003

This article examines the portraits gifted to the National Portrait Gallery by Fairfax Holdings in 2003.

Hugh, 2009 by Hugh Marchant

National Youth Self Portrait Prize

NYSPP 2009
Previous exhibition, 2009

An annual event, the National Youth Self Portrait Prize seeks to encourage young people to embrace self portraiture and its expressive possibilities.

Cormac and Callum, 2008 by Ingvar Kenne

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009

Previous exhibition, 2009

In its second year at the National Portrait Gallery, and for the first time touring to other venues, the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 continues to present surprising perspectives on the nature of contemporary portrait photography.

Andrew Sayers AM

Past directors

History

Directors of the National Portrait Gallery from 1998 to today.

Lauren in Red, 2003

Is the truth of portraiture vested exclusively in likeness?

Magazine article by Michael Desmond, 2006

Curator Michael Desmond introduces the exhibition Truth and Likeness, an investigation of the importance of likeness to portraiture.

The Rays, 1970 
Raindance Corporation, Frank Gillette, Michael Shamberg, Paul Ryan

Post digital

Magazine article by Tegan Mcauley, 2015

Tegan McAuley looks at the evolution of video portraiture.

Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily

Illuminating history

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2023

Joanna Gilmour reflects on 25 years of collecting at the National Portrait Gallery.

Judy Davis and Sam Neill in ‘My Brilliant Career’, 1979 David Kynoch

Moving still

Magazine article by Anne O'Hehir, 2022

Anne O’Hehir on the seductive power of the film still to reflect and shape ourselves and our cultural landscape.

National Portrait Gallery

History

About us

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

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Portrait Donors

Listed by year
Honour board
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.

Barry Humphries

Uncommon Australians

The vision of Gordon and Marilyn Darling
General content

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

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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