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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.

Harold Blair

1948
Ernest Buckmaster

oil on canvas (frame: 109.0 cm x 85.5 cm, support: 101.6 cm x 78.7 cm)

Best known as a landscape painter, Ernest Buckmaster also made many portraits, including this highly finished yet sensitive painting of Wulli Wulli tenor and activist Harold Blair AO (1924–1976). Born at Cherbourg Aboriginal Reserve in Queensland, Blair began his career singing at local concerts while working on the cane fields. In March 1945 he sang on a radio talent quest, Australia’s Amateur Hour, gaining a record number of votes, and within months he was accepted by the Melbourne (Melba) Conservatorium of Music. He then studied at the Juilliard School in New York, performing in a benefit concert at the New York Town Hall in early 1951. Back in Australia, he appeared as a guest artist for the ABC’s three-year Jubilee Tour of Australia and later taught at the Melba Conservatorium. Increasingly focused on First Nations rights, he served on the Aborigines’ Welfare Board in Victoria in the late 1950s, and was involved in the Aborigines Advancement League, the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and the Commonwealth Aboriginal Arts Board. In 1973, he won praise for his performance in Dalgerie, the first ever opera staged at the Sydney Opera House.

Purchased 2010
© Estate of Ernest Buckmaster

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

Ernest Buckmaster (age 51 in 1948)

Harold Blair AO (age 24 in 1948)

Subject professions

Activism

Performing arts

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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