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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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The Australian exploring expedition travelling through scrub (from the Illustrated London News 1879)

Ernest Giles

Ernest Giles (1835-1897), explorer, came to Australia at the age of fifteen, settling in Adelaide.

1 portrait in the collection

The Australian exploring expedition travelling through scrub (from the Illustrated London News 1879)

The Australian exploring expedition travelling through scrub (from the Illustrated London News 1879)

The Australian exploring expedition travelling through scrub (from the Illustrated London News 1879)

The Australian exploring expedition travelling through scrub (from the Illustrated London News 1879), 1876

The Illustrated London News after Jesse Young

Portrait, wood engraving on paper

Purchased 2010

image not online

Ernest Buckmaster

Ernest Buckmaster grew up in country Victoria, where his facility for art was recognised early on.

1 portrait in the collection

Ernest Hutcheson

Ernest Hutcheson

Ernest Hutcheson (1871-1951), pianist, composer and music teacher, started performing at the age of five.

1 portrait in the collection

Sir Ernest Thomas Fisk

Sir Ernest Fisk

Sir Ernest Fisk (1886-1965), radio pioneer and businessman, began his career as one of the earliest wireless telegraphists in the British Post Office.

2 portraits in the collection

Harold Blair

Ernest Buckmaster

In their own words

In their own words

Recorded 1965

Alice Giles

Alice Giles

Alice Giles

Alice Giles, 1984

Rosemary Madigan

Portrait, pastel on paper

Gift of Alice Giles AM, in memory of her mother Rosemary Madigan 2023

Bod Polly Borland

In profile

Magazine article by Oliver Giles, 2023

Polly Borland talks to Oliver Giles about the celebrity portraits that made her name and why she’s now making more abstract art.

image not online

Ernest Walter Histed

Ernest Walter Histed was born in Brighton, UK, but made his reputation as a photographer in Chicago and later in Pittsburgh.

1 portrait in the collection

Sir Ernest Fisk

Sir Ernest Fisk

Sir Ernest Fisk

Sir Ernest Fisk, n.d. (after 1937)

an unknown artist

Portrait, oil on canvas

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Mrs Jane Fisk 2012

Ernest Hutcheson

Ernest Hutcheson

Ernest Hutcheson

Ernest Hutcheson, n.d.

an unknown artist

Portrait, carbon print photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

Sir Ernest Thomas Fisk

Sir Ernest Thomas Fisk

Sir Ernest Thomas Fisk

Sir Ernest Thomas Fisk, 1943-1944

Charles Wheeler

Portrait, coloured chalk and black ink on artist board

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2019

Harold Blair

Harold Blair

Harold Blair

Harold Blair, 1948

Ernest Buckmaster

Portrait, oil on canvas

Purchased 2010

Matt Moran

Matt Moran

Matt Moran

Matt Moran, 2004

Murray Fredericks, Lisa Giles

Portrait, type C photograph on paper

Gift of the artists 2005

Nellie Melba

Nellie Melba

Nellie Melba

Nellie Melba, 1898

Ernest Walter Histed

Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

Portrait 70

Portrait 70

Kim Leutwyler on her portraits of the LGBTQIA+ community, Oliver Giles chats to Polly Borland, Gunggandji artist Simone Arnol, and Andrew Quilty's new book.

© National Portrait Gallery 2025
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Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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ABN: 54 74 277 1196

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