James Reading Fairfax (1834–1919), son of Sydney Morning Herald founder John Fairfax (1804–1877), was the second Fairfax boy to join his father's business. When he joined the company it became John Fairfax and Sons. Under the triumvirate of John, Charles and James Fairfax the Sydney Morning Herald developed from a small journal into one of the most influential and respected newspapers in the country. From the 1860s onward, James Reading Fairfax was instrumental in establishing a host of key charitable and cultural organisations in Sydney. A Director of AMP, the Bank of New South Wales and Burns, Philp and Co, he was also President of the Royal Sydney Golf Club, Commodore of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and President of the Trustees of the National Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Gift of John Fairfax Holdings Ltd 2002. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Fairfax Media Limited (13 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
Sarah Engledow is seduced by the portraits and the connections between the artists and their subjects in the exhibition Impressions: Painting light and life.
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.
