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The Biologist (Bob Wong)

Darren McDonald

The wild balancing act of McDonald’s home décor (is that there as a joke? where do I actually sit down? is this ironic or what? what a lovely photo of Darren and Robin in Europe!) is reflected in his own personality.

Angel Street (Adam Cullen), 2010

Purchased 2012

Painting them gently

Penny Grist on motivation, method and melancholy in the portraiture of Darren McDonald.

James – back to life, 2014

Helen Garner in her kitchen, 2018

Chang the Chinese giant in European dress with Chinese boy and three European men, one of whom is his manager, c. 1871

Purchased 2010

Chang the Chinese Giant with his wife Kin Foo and manager Edward Parlett, c. 1871

Purchased 2010

Artists' space

Studio: Australian Painters Photographed by R. Ian Lloyd presents 61 of some of Australia’s most respected and significant painters working in the studio environment.

Barry McDonald, 1997

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 1999

Archbishop James Goold, c. 1870

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

Norman Gunston and Denise Drysdale, 1976 (printed 2010)

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by James Bain AM and Janette Bain 2010

The Catholic Hierarchy of Australia, 1869

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

Portrait 49

This issue features Jude Rae, Arthur Boyd, Darren McDonald, John Singer Sargent, Tom Wills the 'inventor' of Australian Rules Football and more.

The Popular Pet Show

This exhibition expresses the joy and warmth that many of us derive from our animal companions, and celebrates their trusting, unpretentious ways, with portraits of Australians and their furry, feathered and fluffy friends.

Self, titled, 2013

Finalist, MDPA 2013

Young Mo (Roy Rene), 1977

Gift of Richard Wherrett 1998. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Gloria Petyarre, 2005

Gift of the artist 2010. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Pets of all types take over the National Portrait Gallery

It is not every day that a national gallery turns its walls over to the animal companions that bring unconditional love and joy to their owners but this summer we have opened the doors to 15 contemporary artists with very different ways of depicting our furry, feathered and scaled pets.

On the road again

Deborah Hill talks figures with character, as the National Portrait Gallery touring exhibitions program welcomes its millionth visitor.

Cowboy Louie Pwerle, 1994

Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2004. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Portrait Paintings by Matthew Perceval

From 1967 until 1981 Matthew Perceval lived and painted in France and during those years produced a large body of portrait paintings.

Master Molteno, c. 1866

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Graham Smith 2009

Geoffrey Legge and Frank Watters, 2008

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2010

John Coburn, 1974

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the Liibus family 2015

Sporting Archibald

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award media information

The National Portrait Gallery recently announced the finalists for the Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2013.

Finalists announced for National Photographic Portrait Prize

The National Portrait Gallery would like to congratulate the forty finalists for the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2019.

Sarah and Ann Jacob, c. 1866

Purchased 2018

Oz and beyond

Martin Sharp fulfils the Pop art idiom of merging art and life.

Sideshow Alley

Death masks, post-mortem drawings and other spooky and disquieting portraits... Come and see how portraits of infamous Australians were used in the 19th century.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009

In its second year at the National Portrait Gallery, and for the first time touring to other venues, the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 continues to present surprising perspectives on the nature of contemporary portrait photography.

The animating signature

Joanna Gilmore delights in the affecting drawings of Mathew Lynn.

Painters' paradise

Andrew Sayers feels the warmth in the paintings Matthew Perceval made while the sun shone in southern France.

Is the truth of portraiture vested exclusively in likeness?

Curator Michael Desmond introduces the exhibition Truth and Likeness, an investigation of the importance of likeness to portraiture.

Getting a head

Alexandra Roginski gets a feel for phrenology’s fundamentals.

The Board

The Board oversees the Gallery's strategic directions, objectives and governance.

In the thick of it

Projecting the splendour of the empire, and the resolve of its subjects, the bust of William Birdwood keeps a stiff upper lip in the National Portrait Gallery.

All dressed up

Jane Raffan asks do clothes make the portrait, and can the same work with a new title fetch a better price?

Noel McKenna

It’s a matter beyond dispute that in the entire history of Australian art, it’s Noel McKenna who’s painted the liveliest rendition of the head of a Chihuahua.