Skip to main content
Menu

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.

Bobby King (1906—1945)

by Percy Leason

Bobby King (1906—1945)

oil on canvas
76.4 x 61.3; in original frame
inscribed in pencil on card attached to frame: Bobby King / Born at Coranderrk 1909
No. 28 in 1934 exhibition
Gift of Mrs Everard Baillieu, 1986
La Trobe Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria

Robert (Bobby) King was born at Coranderrk Station, near Healesville, Victoria, in May 1906.

This portrait was painted at Pentridge Prison while Bobby King was serving a sentence of eighteen months for breaking into the Lake Tyers Store with Sydney McRae in July 1933. Emily Shaw, daughter of the Coranderrk Administrator, Joseph Shaw, criticised the severity of the sentence. However the Lake Tyers Station Administrator, Major Ronald Glen, was quoted in the Argus as saying: ‘they would thoroughly enjoy themselves in prison. It would be a glorious holiday to them’.

The portrait is strongly modelled by light, conveying a sense of strength and pride with the upward tilt of the head.

© 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