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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.

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Axel Poignant

Biography

Axel Poignant (1906-1986) photographer, was born in England. His mother was English, his father Swedish.

4 portraits in the collection

Sidney Nolan
Sidney Nolan
Sidney Nolan
Axel Poignant

Sidney Nolan, 1964

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Purchased 2003

Patrick White with Tom Jones
Patrick White with Tom Jones
Patrick White with Tom Jones
Axel Poignant

Patrick White with Tom Jones, 1956

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2003

Arthur Boyd
Arthur Boyd
Arthur Boyd
Axel Poignant

Arthur Boyd, 1962

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2003

Albert and his wife Rubina, Macdonnell Ranges
Albert and his wife Rubina, Macdonnell Ranges
Albert and his wife Rubina, Macdonnell Ranges
Axel Poignant

Albert and his wife Rubina, Macdonnell Ranges, 1946

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph, selenium toned on paper

Purchased 1999

Mawalan Marika
Mawalan Marika
Mawalan Marika
Arthur Murch

Mawalan Marika, c. 1963

Portrait, oil on canvas on board

Purchased 2015

Blow Back
Blow Back
Blow Back
Julie Rrap

Blow Back, 2018

Portrait, pigment photographic prints on paper, hand ground glass

Gift of the artist 2024. Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program.

Dymphna Clark

Dymphna Clark

Biography

Dymphna Clark (1916-2000), linguist, translator, chatelaine and matriarch, was born Hilma Dymphna Lodewyckx.

1 portrait in the collection

by Arianne McNaught The uncertain recovery, 2012

Arianne McNaught

Finalist interviews

I think the most important thing in capturing candid shots is to never take the photo when people are expecting you to press the shutter. The more poignant moments are not the stock standard images of people looking at the camera smiling but after or before when they are really interacting with each other.

National Portrait Gallery Art Handlers' Award

Art Handlers' Award 2024

General content

This year, Shelley Xue 阿谊 (ah Yi) 2024 has been selected the winner for the 2024 NPPP Art Handlers’ award.

Mr and Mrs Horace Keats in the "Christopher Brennan Cycle"

Christopher Brennan

Biography

Christopher Brennan (1870–1932), poet, was born to Irish parents in Sydney.

2 portraits in the collection

Lady Hay

Lady Mary Hay

Biography

Lady Hay, née Chalmers (c. 1806-1892) was reported at the time of her death to have been about ten years older than Hay.

1 portrait in the collection

Magda Szubanski

Magda Szubanski AO

Biography

Magda Szubanski AO (b. 1961), actor and writer, was born in Liverpool, England and moved to Australia when she was four.

1 portrait in the collection

Joan Kirner

Joan Alone

Magazine article by Julia Gillard AC, 2015

Julia Gillard pays poignant tribute to her friend and mentor, the late Joan Kirner, Victoria’s first and only female premier.

Ron Mueck

Ron Mueck

Biography

Ron Mueck (b. 1958), sculptor, first attracted widespread attention in 1997, when his poignant work Dead Dad was featured in the landmark exhibition Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection at the Royal Academy, London and subsequently shown in Berlin and New York.

1 portrait in the collection

by Amiel Courtin-Wilson Charles (still from video)

The Winner of the Digital Portraiture Award 2016 is...

2 December 2016
Archived media releases 2016

The winner of the Digital Portraiture Award 2016 has been announced. Congratulations to Amiel Courtin-Wilson for his submission titled Charles.

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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