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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.

The real Thea

Long after the portraitist became indifferent to her, and died, a beguiling portrait hung over its subject.

More information on The real Thea

Selected images

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Portrait of Thea Proctor, 1905 by George Lambert
Portrait of Thea Proctor, 1905 by George Lambert
Woman in white, c. 1942 by Thea Proctor
Woman in white, c. 1942 by Thea Proctor
The toilet, c. 1918 by Thea Proctor
The toilet, c. 1918 by Thea Proctor
Self portrait
Self portrait, 1921 Thea Proctor. © Art Gallery of New South Wales
Not titled (Amy Lambert), 1906 by George Lambert
Not titled (Amy Lambert), 1906 by George Lambert
5 images
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Related information

Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait

Give me five

Magazine article by Karen Quinlan AM, 2021

National Portrait Gallery director Karen Quinlan AM nominates her quintet of favourites from the collection, with early twentieth-century ‘selfies’ filling the roster.
The rose, 1927
The rose, 1927
The rose, 1927
The rose, 1927

The world of Thea Proctor

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2005

The world of Thea Proctor was the National Portrait Gallery's second exhibition to follow the life of a single person, following Rarely Everage: The lives of Barry Humphries.
Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait

Modern Australian Women

Magazine article by Gillian Raymond, 2005

Close contemporaries, Thea Proctor, Margaret Preston and Grace Cossington Smith were frequently sources of inspiration and irritation to each other. 
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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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