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Portrait Donors

Indexing, the art of

The first index I created was for my first book, and, to my astonishment, that was almost twenty-five years ago.

Fits of delicacy and despair

Henry Mundy's portraits flesh out notions of propriety and good taste in a convict colony.

The importance of being bearded

Joanna Gilmour discovers that the beards of the ill-fated explorers Burke and Wills were as epic as their expedition to traverse Australia from south to north.

Be bold

The name of Florence Broadhurst, one of Australia’s most significant wallpaper and textile designers, is now firmly cemented in the canon of Australian art and design.

Risky business

John Zubrzycki lauds the characters of the Australian escapology trade.

To the end of the earth

The portrait of Dr. Johann Reinhold Forster and his son George Forster from 1780, is one of the oldest in the NPG's collection.

Small worlds

Bess Norriss Tait created miniature watercolour portraits full of character and life.

Earth to earth

Dr Sarah Engledow discusses the recent gift of works by David Campbell.

Hired guns, bounty hunters and horse whisperers

Jude Rae contemplates the portrait commission.

The real Thea

Long after the portraitist became indifferent to her, and died, a beguiling portrait hung over its subject.

Doodles of the Diva

Three tiny sketches of Dame Nellie Melba in the NPG collection were created by the artist who was to go on to paint the most imposing representation of the singer: Rupert Bunny.

A feast of friends

John Singer Sargent: a painter at the vanguard of contemporary movements in music, literature and theatre.

The life of Bryant

Tenille Hands explores a portrait prize gifted to the National Screen and Sound Archive.

Robyn Sweaney

Robyn's parents had two terriers, Wuff and Snuff. In spite of Snuff’s ominous name and a couple of close shaves – once, he jumped out of a moving car, and another time, on a long road trip, he was accidentally left behind at a petrol station – he outlived Wuff.

Lovingly observed

Sarah Engledow previews the beguiling summer exhibition, Idle hours.