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Helen Garner

Recorded 1982

Helen Edwards

Recorded 2013

20/20 launch speech

Dr Helen Nugent AO, Chairman, National Portrait Gallery at the opening of 20/20: Celebrating twenty years with twenty new portrait commissions.

The goal is not to live forever

Helen Garner in her kitchen, 2018

Portrait of Helen Caldicott, 2021

Gift of Dr Helen Caldicott 2022

Study for portrait of Helen Garner, 2003

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2007

Study for portrait of Helen Garner, 2003

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2005

Study (a) for portrait of Helen Garner, 2003

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of J Sages Family Trust 2009
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Study (d) for portrait of Helen Garner, 2003

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of J Sages Family Trust 2009
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Study (c) for portrait of Helen Garner, 2003

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of J Sages Family Trust 2009
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Study (b) for portrait of Helen Garner, 2003

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of J Sages Family Trust 2009
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program

Helen Reddy, 1978

Purchased 2006

Helen Garner, 2004

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2006

Dame Helen Blaxland, 1986

Gift of Danina Dupain Anderson 2021. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

True Stories - Helen Garner, 2003

Gift of the artist 2004. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Helen Eager, 1990

Gift of Leo Christie 2003. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Chips Rafferty and Helen Grieve, c. 1947

Gift of Danina Dupain Anderson 2021. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

True Stories

The story behind the creation of the portrait of Helen Garner by Jenny Sages.

Jenny Sages

The exhibition Sages examines the process of portrait making through four large-scale portraits of women by Jenny Sages, paired with intimate preparatory drawings.

The Seekers reunite 50 years on, 2011

Gift of Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley 2012. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Painting writing

Dr Sarah Engledow explores the portraits of writers held in the National Portrait Gallery's collection.

Aunty Helen

Sketch for portrait of John Perceval, c. 1962

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Helen Brack 2012

Sketch for portrait of John Perceval, c. 1962

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Helen Brack 2012

Charlie Ford

I had my medium format camera to take like a nice portrait of the family and just happened to see Helen in this really natural pose, shutting the gate to keep the dog away from the spit.

Portrait 16

This issue of Portrait Magazine features portraits by Rick Amor, colonial charicatures, Les Murray, Peter Porter, Helen Garner and more.

Keith Laught, 1951

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Mrs Mary Shedley, Mrs Christine Moriarty, Mrs Josephine Lawrence and Mrs Helen Beare 2010

Portrait of Tam Purves, 1958

Purchased 2012

Icons Syndicate

Buoyant Brack brood breeds inspiration

Domesticity’s creative maelstrom

The Seekers

Recorded 2013

Bonfire of the vanities

Australian Galleries Director Stuart Purves tells the story of two portraits by John Brack.

2013-14 Acquisition Fund

This 1910 portrait of Elizabeth Sarah (Lillie) Roberts by Tom Roberts was brought into the Gallery's collection with the assistance of the Acquisition Fund in 2013.

Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023

Little Darlings is for primary and secondary students, with four separate categories across Kindergarten to Year 12. Responding to the theme ‘identity’, students painted, drew, photographed, printed or combined all of these to make their portrait.

Mr Sidney Myer AM appointed inaugural President of the National Portrait Gallery’s Foundation

Dr Helen Nugent AO, Chairman, National Portrait Gallery Board announced today the appointment of Mr Sidney Myer AM as the inaugural President of the newly established National Portrait Gallery Foundation.

Foundation members announced

The newly-established National Portrait Gallery Foundation met for its inaugural meeting last Friday 15 May in Canberra.

The National Portrait Gallery's Director, Karen Quinlan, receives Australia Day Honour

The newly appointed Director of the National Portrait Gallery Karen Quinlan, was today recognised in the Australia Day Honours list for her significant service to the visual arts and to higher education.

Karsh

Yousuf Karsh - the most famous portrait photographer in the world - has photographed the statesmen, artists, literary and scientific figures who have defined the 20th century and shaped our lives, In this, his 90th year, the National Portrait Gallery is thrilled to present an exhibition of Karsh's photography of 20th century figures.

Portrait of Kym Bonython/Portrait of Mr Bonython's speedway cap, 1963-1966

Gift of Kym Bonython AC DFC AFC 2007. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Vale Carla Zampatti AC

The National Portrait Gallery is deeply saddened by the news of the untimely death of Carla Zampatti AC, an Australian icon and a woman who contributed so significantly to defining the identity and style of Australian women.

Robert Henderson Croll, 1927

Gift of Grietje Croll in memory of her late husband Robert Devereaux Croll and with the endorsement of his daughter Helen Croll 2013. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

The Reflecting Eye

As the first National Portrait Gallery travelling exhibition, The reflecting eye: portraits of Australian visual artists represents an important milestone in the history of Australia's National Portrait Gallery.

Madame Melba, 1922

Purchased 2015

Study for "Barry Humphries in the character of Mrs Everage", 1969

Gift of Timothy Fairfax AC 2012. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

The Writer, Peter Goldsworthy, 2018

Commissioned with funds provided by Jillian Broadbent AC and Dr Helen Nugent AO 2018

Joan Croll, 1976

Gift of Frank Croll and Dr Joan Croll AO 2001. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Lady Knox, c. 1927-1929

Gift of Mrs Caroline Philippa Parker 2005. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Study for portrait of Joan Croll, 1976

Gift of Dr Joan Croll AO 2007. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Hilary McPhee, 2015

Purchased with funds provided by Wayne Williams 2015

Chrissy Amphlett "Temperamental", 1989

Gift of the artist 2001. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Honour board

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges and thanks all its supporters.

John Bertrand, 2019

Purchased with funds provided by Dr Helen Nugent AO 2020

Mirror With A Memory

This is the first major exhibition to examine photographic portraiture in Australia, from its beginnings in the early 1840s to the present day

Portrait 62

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2019, the iconoclastic Japanese figures Yukio Mishima and Tamotsu Yato, Angélica Dass’ Humanæ project and more.

Dr Joseph Brown with Two Typists, 1996

Gift of the artist 2021. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Noni Hazlehurst, 1977 (printed 2011)

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2011

Study for The Writer, Peter Goldsworthy, 2018

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Commissioned with funds provided by Jillian Broadbent AC and Dr Helen Nugent AO 2018

Self portrait, c. 1948

Purchased with funds provided by Tim Fairfax AC 2010

2012-13 Acquisition Fund

The Circle of Friends Acquisition Fund for 2012 was dedicated to purchasing a portrait of David Malouf by Rick Amor.

Lisa McCune

Recorded 2022

National Portrait Gallery becomes statutory authority

On 1 July 2013 the National Portrait Gallery began operating as a statutory authority.

Cecil Beaton

Accomplished illustrator, painter, writer and diarist, set designer and one of the most distinguished photographers of the twentieth century, Cecil Beaton is renowned for his portraits of well known faces from the worlds of fashion, literature, and film.

The Writer: Peter Goldsworthy, 2018

Commissioned with funds provided by Jillian Broadbent AO and Dr Helen Nugent AO 2018.

Dame Nellie Melba,

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2007

2014-15 Acquisition Fund

Kristin Headlam's portrait of Chris Wallace-Crabbe was acquired with the support of the Circle of Friends in 2014.

Donors

Foundation Members

Chairman Sid Myer AM, Hayley Baillie, Tim Bednall, Jillian Broadbent AC, Patrick Corrigan AM, Marilyn Darling AC, Tim Fairfax AC, Penny Fowler AM, John Liangis, Dr Helen Nugent AC and Nigel Satterley AM.

New Chief Patron for the National Portrait Gallery

Mrs Lucy Hughes Turnbull AO has accepted an invitation to become the new Chief Patron of the National Portrait Gallery. 

Fred Hilmer, 2018

Commissioned with funds provided by Dr Helen Nugent AO 2018

Fred Hilmer, 2018

Commissioned with funds provided by Dr Helen Nugent AO 2018

Annual Appeal

Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2022

Little Darlings is for primary and secondary students, with four separate categories across Kindergarten to Year 12. Responding to the theme ‘identity’, students painted, drew, photographed, printed or combined all of these to make their portrait.

Dr Gene Sherman AM announces resignation from the National Portrait Gallery Board

It is with deep regret, but great pride, that the National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the decision of its Deputy Chairman to resign from the Gallery’s Board, to focus on a new international role as co-Chair of the Tate Asia Pacific Acquisitions Committee.

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015 finalists announced

The National Portrait Gallery have selected the finalists for the Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015.

Winners announced: Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award 2015

The winners of the Macquarie Digital Portraiture Awards will be announced tomorrow morning at 10.00am at the National Portrait Gallery.

Reveries

Featuring works by Australian and New Zealand photographers from the late 1970s up to the present day Reveries focuses on images made in the presence of or consciousness of death.

Robert Oatley AO

The National Portrait Gallery mourns the loss of one our most generous benefactors, Robert Oatley AO.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023

The exhibition is selected from a national field of entries, reflecting the distinctive vision of Australia's aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects.

Glossy 2

Following the success of Glossy: Faces, Magazines, Now in 1999 the National Portrait Gallery again highlights the huge array of contemporary portraiture in the pages of magazines.

Barry Gibb, 1970-1971

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2005

Arcadia media information

Press releases and image downloads for media.

Pretty in peach

Nellie Melba, 1898

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

National Youth Self Portrait Prize

An annual event, the National Youth Self Portrait Prize seeks to encourage young people to embrace self portraiture and its expressive possibilities.

New Chair of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia Board

The Morrison Government has appointed Mrs Penny Fowler as Chair of the Board of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia (NPGA) for a 3 year term, commencing on 1 January 2022.

Macquarie Digital Portraiture Award media information

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

Vanity Fair Portraits

Vanity Fair Portraits traces the birth and evolution of photographic portraiture through the archives of Vanity Fair magazine.

Paul Kelly and The Portraits media information

Paul Kelly & The Portraits presents a multifaceted image of the performer over the course of his career.

2015-17 Acquisition Fund

From 2015 to 2017 the Acquisition Fund was focussed on Reg Richardson AM by Mitch Cairns, a finalist in the Archibald Prize 2014, and a great example of minimalist portraiture.

2020 Annual Appeal

In 2020 the Annual Appeal was focussed on Sally Robinson's remarkable portrait of author Tim Winton.

Head, hand, heart

An extensive selection of portraits by John Brack were on display at the National Portrait Gallery in late 2007.

Tribute: Mary Isabel Murphy

The Chairman, Board, Director and all the staff of the National Portrait Gallery mourn the loss of our Benefactor, Mary Isabel Murphy.

Ms Karen Quinlan appointed to lead the NPGA

The Board of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia is delighted to announce the appointment of Ms Karen Quinlan as its incoming Director.

Humdinger

At a meeting by teleconference of the National Portrait Gallery Foundation last week, I found myself reporting that our forthcoming exhibition So Fine is going to be “a humdinger,” whereupon Tim Fairfax chuckled and said that he hadn’t heard that expression for years.

Nicholas Harding

Nicholas Harding: 28 portraits features paintings of Robert Drewe, John Bell and Hugo Weaving alongside gorgeously coloured recent oil portraits, delicate gouaches and bold ink and charcoal drawings.

2021 Annual Appeal

In 2021 the Annual Appeal was focussed on Peter Brew-Bevan's portraits of athletes Turia Pitt, Leisel Jones OAM and Ellie Cole OAM.

Australian Visit

The exhibition will include works of art from the NPG Canberra's permanent collection with some inward loans and aims to highlight the achievements of notable Australians.

Petal to the mettle

Sarah Engledow lauds the very civil service of Dame Helen Blaxland.

L. Gordon Darling AC CMG

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.

Paths to portraiture

The life and art of Australian artist Jenny Sages is on display in the exhibition Paths to Portraiture.

Announcing.... In their own words

Inspiring Australians tell their own stories in a unique new gallery audio tour, developed in collaboration with the National Library of Australia.

No shirt, no service

Bon Scott and Angus Young photographed by Rennie Ellis are part of a display celebrating summer and images of the shirtless male.

2022 Annual Appeal

In 2022 the Annual Appeal was focussed on Mayatjara by Robert Fielding, a series of 24 photographs of Elders of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara community.

Portrait of the artist as a young man

Dr Sarah Engledow explores the early life and career of John Brack.

Andrew Sayers AM FAHA

The Chairman, Board, Director and staff mourn the loss of the National Portrait Gallery's inaugural director.

The personal and the historical

Where do we draw a line between the personal and the historical? Although she died in Melbourne in 1975, when I was not quite eleven years old, I have the vividest memories of my maternal grandmother Helen Borthwick.

Subtle emotion

Christopher Chapman considers photographer Rozalind Drummond's portrait of author Nam Le.

The last word

David Hansen’s tribute to his close friend, prince of words and former National Portrait Gallery director, the late Angus Trumble.

Arianne McNaught

An interview with the photographer.

Exposed: Voyeurism Surveillance and the camera since 1870

The Tate/SFMOMA exhibition Exposed examined the role of photography in voyeurism and how it challenges ideas of privacy and propriety.

Portrait Donors

Indexing, the art of

The first index I created was for my first book, and, to my astonishment, that was almost twenty-five years ago.

Be bold

The name of Florence Broadhurst, one of Australia’s most significant wallpaper and textile designers, is now firmly cemented in the canon of Australian art and design.

Small worlds

Bess Norriss Tait created miniature watercolour portraits full of character and life.

Hired guns, bounty hunters and horse whisperers

Jude Rae contemplates the portrait commission.

Doodles of the Diva

Three tiny sketches of Dame Nellie Melba in the NPG collection were created by the artist who was to go on to paint the most imposing representation of the singer: Rupert Bunny.

The life of Bryant

Tenille Hands explores a portrait prize gifted to the National Screen and Sound Archive.

Robyn Sweaney

Robyn's parents had two terriers, Wuff and Snuff. In spite of Snuff’s ominous name and a couple of close shaves – once, he jumped out of a moving car, and another time, on a long road trip, he was accidentally left behind at a petrol station – he outlived Wuff.

Lovingly observed

Sarah Engledow previews the beguiling summer exhibition, Idle hours.

Out of the shadows

Joanna Gilmour profiles the life and times of the shutter sisters May and Mina Moore.

The Vanity model

Vanity Fair Editor David Friend describes how the rebirth of the magazine sated our desire for access into the lives of celebrities and set the standard for the new era of portrait photography.

Love my way

Inga Walton delves into the bohemian group of artists and writers who used each other as muses and transformed British culture.

An actress and her fans

Dr. Sarah Engledow discovers the amazing life of Ms. Hilda Spong, little remembered star of the stage, who was captured in a portrait by Tom Roberts.

Generous Janice

Dr Sarah Engledow puts four gifts to the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection in context.

A real Pratt

The death of a gentlewoman is shrouded in mystery, a well-liked governor finds love after sorrow, and two upright men become entangled in the historical record.