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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.

The Breathing Author
The Breathing Author
The Breathing Author

The Breathing Author, 2025

Todd McMillan
Portrait, 16mm film projection, 1 channel, 6 minutes

Purchased 2025

The First Meal, 2015 by Reece McMillan

The First Meal, 2015

by Reece McMillan
Image
First line in the water, 2014 by Reece McMillan

First line in the water, 2014

by Reece McMillan
Image
Portrait of Brendan Nelson, 2019 Todd Simpson

Portrait of Brendan Nelson, 2019

Todd Simpson
Image
Todd Condie
Todd Condie
Todd Condie

Todd Condie, c. 2000

Penny Tweedie
Portrait, type C photograph on paper

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2004

image not online

2019

Portrait Donors
image not online

Donors

$25,000+
Honour board
masculine/feminine, 2010 by Bridget Mac
NYSPP 2010 winner

National Youth Self Portrait Prize

NYSPP 2010
Previous exhibition, 2010

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

Mr Movies - Bill Collins OAM
Mr Movies - Bill Collins OAM
Mr Movies - Bill Collins OAM

Mr Movies - Bill Collins OAM, 2009

Evert Ploeg
Portrait, oil on linen

Gift of Joan Collins and the Todd-Wilson family in memory of Bill Collins 2019. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Elizabeth

The National Portrait Prizes

29 January 2020
Archived media releases 2020

The National Portrait Gallery today announced finalists for the inaugural Darling Portrait Prize, a national new $75,000 prize for Australian portrait painting, and released selected images from the final prize pool for the popular National Photography Portrait Prize.

Charlie as he was, 2007

I'm not there

Magazine article by Dr Christopher Chapman, 2008
Christopher Chapman looks at some contemporary portraits that explore the construction of identity.
Life Dancers, 2015 by Elizabeth Looker

NPPP 2016 exhibition essay

General content

Penny Grist, National Photographic Portrait Prize judge and curator, introduces the 2016 Prize.

Sir Henry Unton

Icons and imagery

Magazine article by Alison Weir, 2011

Alison Weir explores the National Portrait Gallery, London and the BP Portrait Award to find what makes a good painted portrait - past and present.

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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 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