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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.

Uncommon Australians

The vision of Gordon and Marilyn Darling

This exhibition showcases portraits acquired through the generosity of the National Portrait Gallery’s Founding Patrons, L Gordon Darling AC CMG and Marilyn Darling AC.

More information on Uncommon Australians

Selected images

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Andy Thomas
Andy Thomas, 2002 Montalbetti + Campbell. © Montalbetti & Campbell
General Cosgrove, Dili, East Timor 1999
General Cosgrove, Dili, East Timor 1999, 2006 Rick Amor. © Rick Amor/Copyright Agency, 2024
Professor Peter Doherty
Professor Peter Doherty, 2001 Rick Amor. © Rick Amor/Copyright Agency, 2024
Nick Cave
Nick Cave, 1999 Howard Arkley. © Estate of Howard Arkley. Licensed by Kalli Rolfe Contemporary Art.
Professor Mandyam Srinivasan
Professor Mandyam Srinivasan, 2014 Sam Leach. © Sam Leach
Portrait of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch
Portrait of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, 2000 Australian Tapestry Workshop, Merrill Dumbrell, Christopher Pyett, Normana Wight. © Australian Tapestry Workshop
Dr John Yu
Dr John Yu, 2004 Ah Xian. © Ah Xian
Jack Brabham
Jack Brabham, 2004 Julie Edgar. © Julie Edgar
Portrait of Deborah Vernon Hackett
Portrait of Deborah Vernon Hackett, c. 1905 Florence Ada Fuller
Sketch portrait of Sir Alex Onslow
Sketch portrait of Sir Alex Onslow, 1896 Tom Roberts
Albert Namatjira
Albert Namatjira, 1958 Sir William Dargie CBE. © Roger Dargie and Faye Dargie
Nancy Wake - The White Mouse
Nancy Wake - The White Mouse, 2001 Melissa Beowulf. © Melissa Beowulf/Copyright Agency, 2024
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Related information

Dr John Yu
Dr John Yu
Dr John Yu
Dr John Yu

Portrait Exploration: Art and Identity

Visual Arts (upper primary)

9:15am, Tue 13 May – Thu 19 Jun

Join us for an engaging and interactive program tailored for upper primary students, where they’ll develop the confidence and critical thinking skills to interpret portraits.
Marcia Langton
Marcia Langton
Marcia Langton
Marcia Langton

Portrait Quest!

Civics and Citizenship (upper primary)

9:15am, Tue 20 May – Thu 26 Jun

Join us for an interactive, curriculum-aligned program that explores the lives and contributions of significant Australians.

Gordon Darling

by Jiawei Shen

Portrait story

Gordon Darling talks about how Jiawei Shen came to paint his portrait.
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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.

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