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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 Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Sir Macfarlane Burnet

late 1970s
Louis Kahan AO

pen and ink on paper (sheet: 56.7 cm x 38.6 cm)
Sir Macfarlane Burnet

Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet OM AK KBE (1899-1985), medical scientist, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1960 for his work with Sir Peter Medawar on acquired immunological tolerance to tissue transplants. Burnet had earlier worked with Jean Macnamara to prove that there were at least two viruses causing poliomyelitis, and had isolated the Q fever bacterium, Coxiella burnetti. Much of his research was carried out at Melbourne's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, where he was Assistant Director from 1928 to 1931 and Director from 1944 to 1965. His successor, Sir Gustav Nossal, described Burnet as 'truly a lateral thinker, but a highly disciplined one.'

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 1998
© Louis Kahan/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.
1998.24
Currently not on display
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Artist and subject

Louis Kahan AO (age 65 in 1970)

Sir Frank MacFarlane Burnet OM AK KBE (age 71 in 1970)

Subject professions

Health and medicine

Science and technology

Related portraits
(View all 66)

Sir Macfarlane Burnet
Sir Macfarlane Burnet
Sir Macfarlane Burnet
Self portrait
1. Sir Macfarlane Burnet, 1968 Mark Strizic. © Estate of Mark Strizic. 2. Sir Macfarlane Burnet, 1960-1961 Sir William Dargie CBE. © Roger Dargie and Faye Dargie. 3. Sir Macfarlane Burnet, late 1960s Louis Kahan AO. © Louis Kahan/Copyright Agency, 2024. 4. Self portrait, 1949 Louis Kahan AO. © Louis Kahan/Copyright Agency, 2024.

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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.

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.

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