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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 Portraits

Famous to notorious, remarkable to glorious. Check out some of the people and artists who have shaped our national identity. Discover who’s included in the collection (so far!) using the search tool below or by browsing the highlights, topical works or those on display.

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.

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Highlights
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Nick Cave

Nick Cave
1999

Howard Arkley

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
2009

Guido Maestri

Dr John Yu

Dr John Yu
2004

Ah Xian

Portrait of Captain James Cook RN

Portrait of Captain James Cook RN
1782

John Webber

Deborah Mailman

Deborah Mailman
1999

Evert Ploeg

HM Queen Elizabeth II

HM Queen Elizabeth II
2001

Polly Borland

Marcia Langton

Marcia Langton
2009

Brook Andrew, Trent Walter

Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily

Emily Kame Kngwarreye with Lily
1993

Jenny Sages

Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz

Dr Brown and Green Old Time Waltz
1983

Harold Thornton

Topical
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Self portrait

Self portrait
2004

Peter Russell-Clarke

Michael Leunig

Michael Leunig
1995 (printed 2013)

Helga Leunig

John Marsden

John Marsden
1998

Peter Wegner

On display
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Margaret Olley

Margaret Olley
1998

Lewis Morley

Study for The Writer, Peter Goldsworthy

Study for The Writer, Peter Goldsworthy
2018

Deidre But-Husaim

Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal) and Lowitja O’Donoghue at the opening of the inaugural National Aboriginal Conference, Canberra

Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal) and Lowitja O’Donoghue at the openi…

Mervyn Bishop

Portrait Stories
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Fiona Stanley

Fiona Stanley

'Everyone knew who I was'
Dr Fiona Wood AM

Fiona Wood

'This is exquisite, that's what I will be'
Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel

Jimmy & Jane Barnes and Jesse Lizotte

'All you need is love'

Related information

The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The Gallery

Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night

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We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery

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© National Portrait Gallery 2025
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
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