© National Portrait Gallery 2025
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196
Uncommon Australians
The vision of Gordon and Marilyn Darling
General content
Sarah Engledow writes about Gordon and Marilyn Darling and their support for the National Portrait Gallery throughout its evolution.
Gordon and Marilyn Darling interview
General content
Gordon and Marilyn Darling talk about the origins of the National Portrait Gallery and some of their favourite portraits.
L. Gordon Darling AC CMG
31 August 2015
Archived media releases 2015
The Chairman, Board, Director and all the Staff of the National Portrait Gallery mourn the loss of our Founding Patron, who died peacefully in Melbourne this morning. He was 94.
Darling Portrait Prize
Prizes and awards
The Darling Portrait Prize is a biennial national prize for Australian portrait painting honouring the legacy of Mr L Gordon Darling AC CMG (1921-2015), who was instrumental in establishing the National Portrait Gallery of Australia. The winner receives a cash prize of $75,000.
Gordon Darling Hall
Spaces
Just inside the entrance, the Hall has a soaring ceiling and plenty of natural light.
The Darling
Moustaches
Beards were generally been out for British military men in the 1800s: civilians might have worn them as badges of masculinity, but in the army they were perhaps a bit too close to indiscipline for comfort.
Honour board
Support your Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges and thanks all its supporters.
A deep, abiding love affair
Devotion
Frames for his life’s love
Terms and conditions
Darling Portrait Prize 2024
Darling Portrait Prize
These terms and conditions govern entries to the National Portrait Gallery’s Darling Portrait Prize 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Darling Portrait Prize 2024
Darling Portrait Prize
Jenny Sages
Paths to Portraiture learning resource
Learning resource archive
A companion to our 2012-13 Paths to Portraiture travelling exhibition, which provides suggestions for teachers to use before, during and after their Gallery visit. For Secondary students.
Art Handlers' Award 2024
General content
This year, Nena Salobir Self portrait on washcloth 2024 has been selected for the 2024 Darling Portrait Prize Art Handlers’ award.
Portrait Gallery benefits from generous Boxer bequest
8 April 2015
Archived media releases 2015
Canberran and modernist art collector Alan Boxer has generously bequeathed two works by artists Arthur Boyd and Jenny Sages to the National Portrait Gallery.
Cocktail reception
Options
We can provide a stunning, sophisticated space for your cocktail reception.
People's Choice Award announcement
General content
We are delighted to announce the winner of the $10,000 People's Choice Award for the inaugural Darling Portrait Prize is David Darcy for his painting of farmer and environmentalist Wendy Bowman.
Liam Nunan and Guy Simon
In Conversation
General content
Darling Prize finalist Liam Nunan and actor Guy Simon discuss the portrait, their friendship and the intensity of the acting life.