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.

Study in scarlet

Angus Trumble reflects on the force of nature that was Helena Rubinstein.

More information on Study in scarlet

Selected images

15 images
hide captions
Helena Rubinstein in a red brocade Balenciaga gown
Helena Rubinstein in a red brocade Balenciaga gown, 1957 Graham Sutherland. © Estate of Graham Sutherland
Beauty Tips, c. 1955 Helena Rubinstein’s niece Mala Kolin illustrates basic lines of the face for ideal make-up application
Beauty Tips, c. 1955 Helena Rubinstein’s niece Mala Kolin illustrates basic lines of the face for ideal make-up application
Graham Sutherland, 1943 by Lee Miller
Graham Sutherland, 1943 by Lee Miller
Somerset Maugham, 1949 by Graham Sutherland
Somerset Maugham, 1949 by Graham Sutherland
Winston Churchill, 1954 by Graham Sutherland
Winston Churchill, 1954 by Graham Sutherland
William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, 1952 by Graham Sutherland
William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, 1952 by Graham Sutherland
Helena Rubinstein, 1957 by Graham Sutherland
Helena Rubinstein, 1957 by Graham Sutherland
Graham Sutherland, 1977 Unknown photographer
Graham Sutherland, 1977 Unknown photographer
Study for portrait of Helena Rubinstein by Graham Sutherland
Study for portrait of Helena Rubinstein by Graham Sutherland
Study for portrait of Helena Rubinstein by Graham Sutherland
Study for portrait of Helena Rubinstein by Graham Sutherland
Helena Rubinstein with an artificial photomontage of part of her portrait collection, c. 1957
Helena Rubinstein with an artificial photomontage of part of her portrait collection, c. 1957
Helena Rubinstein with Graham Sutherland portraits, c. 1964
Helena Rubinstein with Graham Sutherland portraits, c. 1964
Portraits of Helena Rubinstein, 1955 by Pablo Picasso
Portraits of Helena Rubinstein, 1955 by Pablo Picasso
Portraits of Helena Rubinstein, 1955 by Pablo Picasso
Portraits of Helena Rubinstein, 1955 by Pablo Picasso
Installation wall, Rubinstein portraits: Helena Rubinstein: Beauty Is Power at the Jewish Museum, New York, 2014 Image: David Heald
Installation wall, Rubinstein portraits: Helena Rubinstein: Beauty Is Power at the Jewish Museum, New York, 2014 Image: David Heald
15 images
hide captions

Related information

Helena Rubinstein in a red brocade Balenciaga gown
Helena Rubinstein in a red brocade Balenciaga gown
Helena Rubinstein in a red brocade Balenciaga gown
Helena Rubinstein in a red brocade Balenciaga gown

Virtual Highlight Tour

Mavericks

12:30pm, Tue 25 Mar

Today, Cate Lyons, Learning Facilitator, is all about impressive portraits of trailblazing sitters.
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!
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