Skip to main content
Menu
What's on Prizes The Portraits Watch
The Gallery Governance & Board Circle of Friends
Learn Access Search the website
close close
What's on The Portraits The Gallery Learn Watch More O

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.

First encounters

Representations of the inhabitants of the new world expose the complexities of the colonisers' intentions.

More information on First encounters

Selected images

12 images
hide captions
Omai, Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, 1775-76
Omai, Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, 1775-76
Bungaree, late chief of the Broken Bay tribe, Sydney
Bungaree, late chief of the Broken Bay tribe, Sydney, 1836 William Fernyhough
Omai
Omai, 1777 James Caldwall after William Hodges
Colebee, c. 1792-97
Colebee, c. 1792-97
Native name Ben-nel-long, as painted when angry after Botany Bay Colebee was wounded, c. 1790
Native name Ben-nel-long, as painted when angry after Botany Bay Colebee was wounded, c. 1790
Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea), 1776
Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea), 1776
Portrait of Bungaree, a native of New South Wales, c. 1826
Portrait of Bungaree, a native of New South Wales, c. 1826
'Timbere sauvage de la nouvelle galles du sud en grand costume (Relache au Port Jackson)'
'Timbere sauvage de la nouvelle galles du sud en grand costume (Relache au Port Jackson)', 1822 Pierre Langlume after Jacques Etienne Victor Arago
Gnoung-a-gnoung-a Mour-re-mour-ga (dit Collins)
Gnoung-a-gnoung-a Mour-re-mour-ga (dit Collins), 1807-1817 Barthélemy Roger after Nicolas-Martin Petit
Portrait of Bennilong, Native of New Holland
Portrait of Bennilong, Native of New Holland, c. 1798 an unknown artist
Oui-re-kine
Oui-re-kine, 1807-1817 Barthélemy Roger after Nicolas-Martin Petit
Arthur Phillip Esq., Captain General and Commander in Chief in & over the territory of New South Wales
Arthur Phillip Esq., Captain General and Commander in Chief in & over the territory of New South Wales, 1789 W Sherwin after Francis Wheatley
12 images
hide captions

Related information

The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The Gallery

Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night

Support your Portrait Gallery

We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery

Plan your visit

Information on location, accessibility and amenities.
Home Contact Media Privacy statement User agreement Social media and community guidelines
© National Portrait Gallery 2025
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