Ben Chifley

Ben Chifley was one of Australia’s most popular Prime Ministers. The press described him as likeable and unpretentious, with a good sense of humour. He referred to himself as ‘a fairly average bloke’.

How would you describe Chifley’s expression in this portrait?

Based on the description above, do you think Frith has captured Chifley’s character successfully?

Chifley’s pipe was his personal trademark and it is rare to find a portrait where it is not included. In post war Australia, the PM’s pipe came to represent a well-considered, thoughtful man that people could trust and depend on.

How has the meaning of this object changed over the past century?

What does the pipe represent today?

The pipe in Chifley’s portrait is an old pipe coated with bronze powder. It is a removable element of the sculpture inserted into a small opening between the lips.

Frith’s sculpture was first made in clay and then cast in plaster from a mould. The plaster has been painted with the green patina most often associated with the natural aging of metals.

When Chifley met Frith he told him he didn’t think much of his cartoons. The artist suggested it might help if he sketched his subject from life and was invited to join Chifley in his office. Later that night Chifley died of a heart attack. Frith’s portrait is based on the sketches he made of the former Prime Minister that day.

A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates and distorts the distinguishing physical features of a subject. As a cartoonist, John Frith created caricatures for a living.

Do you think the artist has exaggerated Chifley’s features in his portrait?

Would you describe the portrait as a caricature?