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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.

Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, exhibited 1891 Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
Image
King Henry VIII, 1597-1618 Unknown artist

King Henry VIII

Unknown artist
Image
Aubrey Beardsley, c. 1894 Frederick Henry Evans

Aubrey Beardsley

Frederick Henry Evans
Image
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, 2015 Sean Henry

Sir Tim Berners-Lee

Sean Henry
Image
Barry Humphries

Talking heads

About Face article

In their own words lead researcher Louise Maher on the novel project that lets the Gallery’s portraits speak for themselves.

William Barak at work on the drawing ‘Ceremony’ at Coranderrk

William Barak

In their own words
In their own words
image not online

Annual Appeal

Listed by year
Honour board
Lucy Escott

An international troupe of two

It's Complicated

Office romance

Marianne Egan and her children Gertrude Evans Cahuac and Henry William Cahuac

Maritime disaster leaves poignant picture

Devotion

Absence rends the heart asunder

George and Jemima Billet with family

In the most correct style

Nearest & Dearest

Desirable outcomes, undesirable origins

George Reid paperweight

Some prime ministers

General content

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

Bob Hawke

Primed

Some Prime Ministers
Previous exhibition, 2019

Seventeen of Australia’s thirty prime ministers to date are represented in the contrasting sizes, moods and mediums of these portraits.

Lady Jane Grey, c.1590-1600 (also known as The ‘Streatham’ portrait) Artist unknown

The Royal she

Magazine article by Inga Walton, 2019

Traversing paint and pixels, Inga Walton examines portraits of select women in Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits.

Helen Blaxland judging flower arrangements, c. 1940s photographer unknown

Petal to the mettle

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2019

Sarah Engledow lauds the very civil service of Dame Helen Blaxland.

Madame Sibly, Phrenologist and Mesmerist

Sibly irresistible

Magazine article by Alexandra Roginski, 2019

Alexandra Roginski reveals a forceful feminist figure in the colonial period’s slippery science, phrenology.

Thomas and John Clarke, bushrangers, photographed in Braidwood Gaol
Thomas and John Clarke, bushrangers, photographed in Braidwood Gaol
Thomas and John Clarke, bushrangers, photographed in Braidwood Gaol

Thomas and John Clarke, bushrangers, photographed in Braidwood Gaol, 1867

an unknown artist
Portrait, albumen silver photograph on laid down on a section cut from a nineteenth century album page

Purchased 2019

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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