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Portrait of Les Tanner, 1984

Purchased 2004

Sir Robert Menzies, c. 1966

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Emeritus Professor Colin A Hughes 2015

Ming Vase (Sir Robert Menzies), c. 1970

Purchased 2004

Henry Bolte, 1969

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2004

Les Tanner

Les Tanner was one of Australia’s best-known caricaturists. Born in Glebe, New South Wales, he is said to have taken up drawing portraits as early as age five, and as a teenager contributed cartoons to the school newspaper.

4 portraits in the collection

William - Aspendale, 1966 (printed 2015)

Gift of the artist 2015

Gus McLaren

Les Tanner and Gus McLaren met in occupied Japan after the war, where they both drew cartoons for the British Commonwealth Occupation newspaper.

2 portraits in the collection

William Mora

William Mora (1953–2023), art dealer and gallerist, was the eldest son of artist Mirka Mora and restauranteur and gallery owner Georges Mora.

1 portrait in the collection

No small wonder

Joanna Gilmour describes how artist Sam Leach works on a small scale to grand effect.

Some prime ministers

Sarah Engledow explores the history of the prime ministers and artists featured in the exhibition.

Primed

Seventeen of Australia’s thirty prime ministers to date are represented in the contrasting sizes, moods and mediums of these portraits.