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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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Julia Matthews

Julia Matthews

Julia Matthews (1842-1876), actress and singer, came to Australia as a girl with her parents, and made her debut at Sydney's Royal Victoria Theatre in 1854, aged twelve.

1 portrait in the collection

image not online

Howard Matthews

Part of the Melbourne intellectual avant-garde of the 1940s, Howard Matthews was a brilliant student.

1 portrait in the collection

image not online

Grant Matthews

In 1997 Grant Matthews successfully sued Consolidated Press for unauthorised reproduction of one of his photographs.

1 portrait in the collection

Julia Matthews

Julia Matthews

Julia Matthews

Julia Matthews, c. 1862

Portrait, albumen silver photograph carte de visite on card

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel

Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel

Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel

Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel, 1984

Portrait, type C photograph on paper

Gift of John McLean 2008

image not online

Peter O'Shaughnessy, 1947

Howard Matthews

Portrait, oil on canvas

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 1999

image not online

2016

Portrait Donors

Julia Matthews

Of Burke, Wills ... and wills

It's Complicated

Infatuation and (ill-fated) exploration

Leigh Bowery

Leigh Bowery

Leigh Bowery

Leigh Bowery, 1984

Portrait, type C photograph on paper

Gift of Claudia Hyles, Dr Christiane Lawin-Bruessel, Gwenda Matthews, Gael Newton, Anne O'Hehir, Susan Smith and Dominic Thomas in memory of our friend, Robyn Beeche 2016

The Dipper

The Dipper

One of the versions of thick, macho moustache strongly associated in the Australian visual lexicon with sportsmen of the 1970s and 80s.

Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel 1984 (detail) Grant Matthews

Pub Rock

Your backstage pass to 70s and 80s sounds and scenes

Previous exhibition, 2020

Celebrate the people, places and sounds of Australian pub rock and its enduring impact on our nation’s identity.

Richard Fitzgerald

Richard Fitzgerald

Richard Fitzgerald (1772-1840), convict, public servant and settler, spent four years of his seven-year sentence imprisoned (probably on a floating 'hulk') at Portsmouth before arriving in Sydney in 1791, along with his private assets.

1 portrait in the collection

image not online

Younger Australians more engaged with arts and history

Archived media releases 2016

The second annual brand-awareness snapshot of the National Portrait Gallery is again positive, with indicators moving in the right direction – for the Gallery and for Australia’s cultural engagement.

Sir Edgar Coles

Sir Edgar Barton ‘EB’ Coles

Sir Edgar Barton ‘EB’ Coles (1899-1981) was the longest-serving chief executive of the Coles retail group.

2 portraits in the collection

Robert O'Hara Burke

Robert O'Hara Burke

Robert O'Hara Burke

Robert O'Hara Burke, c. 1860

Melbourne and Sydney Photographic Co

Portrait, albumen paper carte de visite

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2001

Barry Gibb

The 1950s to the present day

Mo and beard timeline

Certain European leaders (needless to name) had the effect of making certain styles of facial hair decidedly undesirable in the years immediately after World War 2.

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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