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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.

Elegance in exile

Portrait drawings from colonial Australia

Elegance in exile is an exhibition surveying the work of Richard Read senior, Thomas Bock, Thomas Griffiths Wainewright and Charles Rodius: four artists who, though exiled to Australia as convicts, created many of the most significant and elegant portraits of the colonial period.

More information on Elegance in exile

Selected images

10 images
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Self portrait
Self portrait, c. 1849 Charles Rodius
Martha Sarah Butler
Martha Sarah Butler, c. 1845 Thomas Griffiths Wainewright
Edward Paine Butler
Edward Paine Butler, c. 1845 Thomas Griffiths Wainewright
Thomas Griffiths Wainewright, c. 1840 by Thomas Griffiths Wainewright
Thomas Griffiths Wainewright, c. 1840 by Thomas Griffiths Wainewright
William Robertson jnr
William Robertson jnr, c. 1852 an unknown artist
William Robertson
William Robertson, c. 1852 an unknown artist
Truggernana [Trukanini], a native of southern part of V.D. Land
Truggernana [Trukanini], a native of southern part of V.D. Land, 1835 Benjamin Duterrau
Woureddy [Wurati], a wild native of Brune Island
Woureddy [Wurati], a wild native of Brune Island, 1835 Benjamin Duterrau
Margaret Robertson
Margaret Robertson, c. 1852 an unknown artist
Dr Ludwig Leichhardt
Dr Ludwig Leichhardt, 1846 Charles Rodius
10 images
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Related information

The Cutmear sisters, Jane and Lucy, c. 1842
The Cutmear sisters, Jane and Lucy, c. 1842
The Cutmear sisters, Jane and Lucy, c. 1842
The Cutmear sisters, Jane and Lucy, c. 1842

A man of superior attainments

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2013

Joanna Gilmour explores the life of a colonial portrait artist, writer and rogue Thomas Griffiths Wainewright.
Miss Robertson of Colac (Dolly), 1885-86
Miss Robertson of Colac (Dolly), 1885-86
Miss Robertson of Colac (Dolly), 1885-86
Miss Robertson of Colac (Dolly), 1885-86

Brothers on farms

Magazine article by Malcolm Robertson, 2011

Malcolm Robertson tells the family history of one of Australia's earliest patrons of the arts, his Scottish born great great great grandfather, William Robertson.
A woman of New South Wales, c. 1840
A woman of New South Wales, c. 1840
A woman of New South Wales, c. 1840
A woman of New South Wales, c. 1840

More cash than dash

Magazine article by Joanna Gilmour, 2011

Joanna Gilmour describes how colonial portraitists found the perfect market among social status seeking Sydneysiders.
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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.

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