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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 Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Francis Lymburner

1941
Max Dupain OBE

gelatin silver photograph on paper (sheet: 40.3 cm x 40.0 cm, image: 40.3 cm x 40.0 cm)

Francis Lymburner (1916-1972) was a Queensland-born artist who was educated at Brisbane Grammar and took art classes at Brisbane Technical College. Just before the war he moved to Sydney, where he haunted Taronga Park Zoo, making a great number of drawings of animals. In his early twenties he contributed illustrations to the Home magazine. In 1948, Sydney Ure Smith recognized his talent for drawing animals and published a book of his work, after which he achieved some success in Sydney. Throughout the 1950s he travelled and studied in Europe and the UK, living in England from 1952 to 1964, drawing in theatres, zoos and parks. He came back to Australia enthusiastic about exhibiting his work, and Ure Smith published another volume of his drawings and paintings in 1965. However, the following year his career was cut short by a cerebral haemorrhage. In 1992 the AGNSW held a retrospective of his paintings and drawings; his work is held by most major galleries.

Gift of Richard King 2008. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Max Dupain OBE (age 30 in 1941)

Francis Lymburner (age 25 in 1941)

Subject professions

Visual arts and crafts

Donated by

Richard King (16 portraits)

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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