Zelman Cowen

Although best known for his landscapes, Ray Crooke AM often painted people indoors against a window giving onto bright light, such as this portrait of The Rt Hon Sir Zelman Cowen (1919–2011). Academic, writer and former Governor-General, Cowen served in the navy in the Second World War and then went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. From 1951 to 1966 he was dean of the law faculty at the University of Melbourne, and in 1970 he became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland. Seven years later, at the invitation of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, he succeeded Sir John Kerr as Governor-General; during his five-year term he did much to restore the status of the vice-regal post. Returning to Oxford University in the 1980s, he became Provost of Oriel College and later Pro-Vice Chancellor. He published widely on aspects of law but also attempted to enhance public comprehension of constitutional issues, particularly advocating for Australia to become a republic. Cowen’s autobiography, A Public Life, was published in 2006.

Gift of David Crooke 2011. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Ray Crooke/Copyright Agency, 2024