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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 Ian McLennan

c. 1978
Bryan Westwood

oil on board (frame: 110.8 cm x 96.0 cm)

Sir Ian McLennan KBE (1909-1998) was chairman of BHP from 1971 to 1977. Dux of Scotch College Melbourne in 1927, he studied electrical engineering before joining BHP in 1933. He worked in Whyalla and then in Kalgoorlie before becoming boss of the limestone quarries in Devonport, Tasmania in 1935. When war broke out he was in the middle of a BHP cadetship in Newcastle; by the war's end he had risen to the job of assistant manager. Through the 1950s and 1960s he progressed steadily through the ranks of BHP to gain the top job in 1971. He was three times President of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and business leader of the Australian Trade Mission to China in 1973. He served on many advisory bodies including the Immigration Planning Council, the Joint War Production Committee, the Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Foundation, the ANU and the CSIRO Advisory Councils and the Australia-China and Australia-Japan business committees.

Bryan Westwood was born in Lima, where his Australian father worked as an engineer, and educated in Buenos Aires before moving to Australia to complete a degree in economics at the University of Sydney. He pursued careers in economics, advertising and film before his friendships with Jeffrey Smart and Justin O'Brien prompted his decision to become an artist. He developed a specialisation in still life and portraiture, working in a refined and meticulous style often characterised as photorealist. He won the Archibald Prize in 1989 with a portrait of Elwyn Lynn, and again in 1992 with one of Paul Keating. In 1992 he was chosen as artist for the Gallipoli pilgrimage of 58 World War I veterans, producing a number of portraits of the old warriors that are now in the collection of the Australian War Memorial. The National Portrait Gallery owns his portraits of Bart Cummings, James Fairfax, Sir Vincent Farifax, Sir Warwick Fairfax, and Justin O'Brien. His portraits of Malcolm Fraser and Paul Keating are currently on loan to the gallery.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of BHP Billiton 2003
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
© Bryan Westwood/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.

Artist and subject

Bryan Westwood (age 48 in 1978)

Sir Ian McLennan KBE (age 69 in 1978)

Subject professions

Business, trades and industry

Donated by

BHP Billiton (11 portraits)

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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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