Skip to main content
Menu

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.

All in the Family

by Andrew Sayers AM, 1 June 2002

Portrait launch of Major-General Paul Cullen AC CBE DSO and Bar ED (Rtd) and George Judah Cohen.

Major General Paul Cullen, 2002 Mathew Lynn. © Mathew Lynn

This work was unveiled alongside a 1925 painting of George Judah Cohen (1842-1937), a major figure in the history of Australian banking, keen philanthropist and grandfather of Major-General Cullen. The National Portrait Gallery acquired the painting by the eminent Australian artist George Lambert (1873-1930) of George Judah Cohen as a gift from the National Australia Bank. The Cullen portrait is a gift of the New South Wales Jewish War Memorial.

Lambert was commissioned by the CBC to paint this portrait of Cohen, and entered the work in the Archibald Prize of 1925. The work featured in the exhibition 150 Years of Australian Art at the AGNSW in 1938.

Mathew Lynn a Sydney artist, much in demand for commissioned portraits, painted the forthright portrait of Cullen over a series of meetings at his property in the Southern Highlands and in the artist's studio in Sydney. The artist relates that on one occasion he rode out with Cullen to muster some cattle; the old soldier rounded them up, but asked Lynn to count them, as his sight is no longer what it was. Later he joked that Lynn is a better painter than horseman.

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

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