Archibald Prize

The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize, and is the most prominent of all arts prizes, in Australia. It began in 1921 after a bequest from J F Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin, and is awarded annually by the Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales for "the best portrait, preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters, Science or Politics, painted by an artist resident in Australasia during the 12 months preceding the date fixed by the Trustees for sending in the pictures." In 2005, the prize awarded was $35,000.

Notable finalists

Besides the winners, there have been many Archibald finalists of Australian celebrities, including musicians, athletes, politicians, film-makers and artists. Some selected ones: (listed Artist - Subject)

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1946

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• Rolf Harris - Portrait of a School Boy (self portrait)

1979

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• Bressow, Lance - Dame Joan Sutherland
• Palaitis, Josonia - The Honourable John Howard, M.P.
• Pendlebury, L Scott - Anne and Drew Pendlebury (Actress and Musician respectively) ( Drew Pendlebury band member of The Sports )

1980s

1980

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• Bush, Charles William - Sir John Kerr
• Dunlop, Brian - Joseph Brown

1981

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• Dargie, William - Joh Bjelke-Petersen

1982

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• Dupain, Rex - Max's Muse ( Max Dupain )
• La Gerche, Geoff -Patrick White
• Markstein, Ted - The Great White Hope in the Land of the Blind ( A. D. Hope )

1983

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• Walters, Wesley - Molly (Molly Meldrum

1984

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• Looby, Keith - Max Gillies (comedian)
• Walters, Wesley - Portrait of Colleen McCullough

1985

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• Rothwell, Susan - Peter Weir

1986

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• Berns, Naomi - David Williamson (Playwright/Author)
• Cress, Fred - David Armstrong

1987

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• Looby, Keith - Manning Clark

1988

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• Gruzdeff, Leeka - Don Burrows
• Nolan, Sidney - Arthur Boyd at Fitzroy Falls

1989

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• Harris, Tim - The Doug Anthony All Stars with the Risen Elvis (Tim Ferguson, Richard Fidler, Paul McDermott,)
• Heinrich, Bernd - Thomas Keneally
• Leak, Bill - Sir Donald Bradman
• Whiteley, Brett - Portrait of Francis Bacon 1989

1990s

1991/1992

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• Meskenas, Vladas - Dr Victor Chang
• Valadon, Rosemary - The Long Afternoon - Portrait of Dr Germaine Greer

1993

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• Allen, Davida - Dressing for Dinner ( Bill Hayden governor-general )
• Dyer, Geoffrey - Dr Bob Brown (Environmentalist)
• Lester, Kerrie - Fred Hollows
• Meskenas, Vladas - Professor Fred Hollows

1994

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• George Gittoes - Self Portrait in Somalia
• Leak, Bill - Malcolm Turnbull
• Li Bao Hua - Portrait (Hazel Hawke)
• Robertson, Peter - Kate Ceberano
• Valadon, Rosemary - Noni Hazlehurst - Summer '94 Waiting Again

1995

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• Bergstrom, Danelle - Jon English
• George Gittoes - General John Sanderson in Cambodia
• Leak, Bill - Graham Richardson
• Naseby, David - Les Murray

1996

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• Peter Churcher- Betty at Home (Betty Churcher)
• Lester, Kerrie - James Morrison with flugelhorn
• Palaitis, Josonia - Ray Martin
• Shead, Garry - Jacqueline McKenzie
• Valadon, Rosemary - Deborah Conway - in epic mode

1997

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• Rick Amor - Peter Carey at the VACB Studio, Soho, New York (author)
• Adam Cullen - Portrait of Mikey Robbins (comedian)
• George Gittoes - John Olsen (painter)
• Hannaford, Robert - Paul Davies (scientist)
• Newton, Paul William - Kate and Barbie (A portrait of Kate Fischer) (model)
• Sharp, Martin - Tiny Tim, Eternal Troubadour

1998

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• Adam Cullen - Portrait of Frank Moorhouse AM (author)
• Dawson, Paula - Sleeping man (Barry Jones politician)
• Hannaford, Robert - Paul Keating (Former Prime Minister)
• Leak, Bill - Gough Whitlam (Former Prime Minister)
• Naseby, David - Les Murray (poet)
• Shen, Jiawei - Eyewitness (portrait of George Gittoes AM) (artist)

1999

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• Bromley, David - Scott Hicks (film director)
• Dyer, Geoffrey - Margaret Scott (author and poet)
• King, Amanda - Natasha Stott-Despoja (politician)
• Lester, Kerrie - Jimmy Barnes (singer)
• Naseby, David - Bob Ellis (political commentator)
• Newton, Paul William - Portrait of Maggie Tabberer (model)
• Ploeg, Evert - Deborah Mailman (actress)

2000s

2000

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a focus in sport, due to the 2000 Sydney Olympics

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• Antico, Chris - The Captain: Mark Taylor (cricket captain)
• Bell, Michael - The Sandman (comedian Steve Abbott )
• Benz, Simon - Anna Wilson (cyclist)
• Beowulf, Melissa - Ken Done (painter)
• Bromley, David - Strongest man of the games (Dean Lukin, weightlifter)
• Carment, Tom - Don Idle, Footballer (AFL footballer)
• Cullen, Adam - Portrait of Mark Occhilupo (surfer)
• Cullen, Max - Geoffrey Rush (actor)
• Fern, Nic - Vicki Wilson (netball player)
• Holmes a Court, Juliet - Portrait of George (George Gregan, rugby player)
• Jones, Glenda - Nova Peris Kneebone (hockey player)
• Lester, Kerrie - Susie Maroney, True Blue Sue (swimmer)
• Miller, Lewis - Ronald Dale Barassi ( Ron Barassi, AFL footballer)
• Morton, Ann - Edwin Carr ?Old Gold? (athletics)
• Naseby, David - Kostya Tszyu (boxer)
• Newton, Paul William - Portrait of David Campese (rugby player)
• Ploeg, Evert - Louise Sauvage (wheelchair racing)
• Sibley, Andrew John - Merilyn Peddell (lawnbowls)
• Spooner, Kim - 'blue' (Kerry O'Brien) (television presenter)
• Wegner, Peter - Portrait of Darren Gauci (jockey)
• Williamson, Jan - Tom Carroll (surfer)
• Wood, Louise - Determination ? Michael Klim (swimmer)
• Xie, Hui Hai - Johnny Raper ? A living legend (rugby league player)

2001

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• Armstrong, Bruce - Peter Carey in Kelly country
• Darby, Brendon Ross - Ian Parmenter (television presenter)
• Emdur, Martine - Laughing on the inside ( Peter Berner )
• Georgiadis, Margarita - Excelle - Libbi Gorr (comedian, known for her Elle McFeast character )
• Guo Hua Cai - Lee Lin Chin (SBS newsreader)
• Leak, Bill - Robert Hughes - nothing if not critical
• Lester, Kerrie - Contemplating the emperor's new clothes (fashion designer Akira Isogawa
• Spooner, Kim - and see the light surrounding you (Daniel Johns) (vocalist and guitarist in Silverchair )

2002

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• Carment, Tom - Richard Neville (writer, broadcaster, journalist)
• Cullen, Adam - Mark Brandon Read - Author ( Chopper Read )
• Dyer, Geoffrey - The last survivor Alec Campbell (survivor of Battle of Gallipoli )
• Erlich, Esther - Deborah Conway (musician)
• Hunt, James - Bora Anthony Mundine (boxer, rugby league player)
• Lester, Kerrie - Interrupting Mr Smart! ( Jeffrey Smart (painter))
• Pinnock, Mary Florance - Martin Sharp (cartoonist)

2003

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• Amor, Rick - Lewis Miller (painter)
• Bergstrom, Danelle - Conversations with Margaret Olley
• Cullen, Adam - Jimmy Little
• Dyer, Geoffrey - Richard Flanagan
• Emdur, Martine - Claudia Karvan, Interior (actor from The Secret Life of Us )
• Fragar, Julie - J. Lucy in quinachridone magenta ( Judith Lucy comedian )
• Harding, Nicholas - Portrait of Margaret Whitlam A.O. (wife of Gough Whitlam )
• Naseby, David - Adam Cullen (painter)
• Sages, Jenny - True Stories - Helen Garner (author)
• Stathopoulos, Nickolaos - Here's Mr Squiggle
• Wyatt, Susan - Doris Pilkington (Nugi Garimarra) (author of the book which the film Rabbit-Proof Fence is based on.

2004

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: See also complete list of Archibald prize 2004 finalists

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• Benjamin, Jason - John Olsen
• Dyer, Geoffrey - Graeme Murphy (dance choreographer)
• Kendall, Peter Clifton - Peter Brock
• McKay, Creecy Carolyn - Bruce Spence

2005

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: See also complete list of Archibald prize 2005 finalists

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• Churcher, Peter Portrait of Jeffrey Smart
• Hannaford, Robert Bob Brown
• Jackson, Paul - Gretel Killeen
• Kenyon, Raymond - The architect at home Glenn Murcutt
• Lynn, Mathew - Wendy drawing Wendy Sharpe
• Quilty, Ben - Beryl Whiteley (mother of Brett Whiteley )
• Ralph, David - Imagination - Adam and Harvie (Adam Elliot, creator of Harvie Krumpet )
• Shen, Jiawei - John So (mayor of Melbourne )
• Thomas, Avril - The Minister from down under (Hon. Alexander Downer M.P.,)
• Zavros, Michael - Alex Dimitriades