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.
Sir Mark Oliphant AC KBE (1901-2000), physicist, was Governor of South Australia from 1971 to 1976. In the early 1930s Oliphant found new forms of hydrogen (Deuterium and Tritium) and helium (Helium 3). These discoveries laid the foundation for the development of nuclear weapons, and Oliphant was a participant in the Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory research group and in the United States Manhattan Project, which culminated in the artificial disintegration of the atomic nucleus, enabling the bombing of Japan at the end of World War II. Oliphant was director of research in the physical sciences at the Australian National University from 1950 to 1966 and the Foundation President of the Australian Academy of Science from 1954 to 1956. A campaigner for the environment, Aboriginal land rights and women's affirmative action, he once described himself as 'one of those persons who wish atomic weapons had never been made'.
Physicists Lise Meitner (1878-1968), Otto Hahn (1879-1968) and Fritz Strassmann (1902-1980) recognised in 1938 that the uranium atom could split if bombarded by neutrons. Lise Meitner's sister-in-law, Lotte Meitner-Graf, worked as a photographer in Vienna and the United States, and operated a studio at 23 Old Bond Street, W.1, London. Her connection with Lise Meitner led her to photograph a number of prominent scientists.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Ms Vivian Wilson 2004
Vivian Wilson (2 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
Drawn from some of the many donations made to the Gallery's collection, the exhibition Portraits for Posterity pays homage both to the remarkable (and varied) group of Australians who are portrayed in the portraits and the generosity of the many donors who have presented them to the Gallery.
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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.
The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency
