The Hon. Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO (b. 1942), academic, lawyer and human rights advocate, was the first woman to be appointed governor-general of Australia. Born in Brisbane, she spent her early childhood in Ilfracombe in central western Queensland. She attained degrees in arts and law at the University of Queensland, where in 1968 she became the first female member of the law faculty. By the time she retired from teaching in 1983, she was increasingly involved in human rights and advocacy work. Between 1984 and 1993 she was director of the Queensland Women's Information Service, director of Queensland's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner. In 1997 she became principal and chief executive officer of the Women's College within the University of Sydney. Six years later she became governor of Queensland. In 2008 she was appointed Australia's 25th governor-general, and served in this role until March 2014.
Michael Zavros commenced work on this portrait in 2015, when Bryce became chair of Queensland's Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence. Zavros included the proteas as the emblem of the Taskforce, but also to signify the sitter's strength and wisdom, and the dignity of her longstanding commitment to justice and human rights.
Commissioned with funds provided by Tim Fairfax AC 2016
© Michael Zavros
This is a landscape portrait 112cm high by 152cm wide. In the immediate foreground against a stark, white background there are three elements to the composition; the surface of a wooden table, a glass vase with flowers and a life size figure of Quentin Bryce cropped to below her hip. The simple, almost forensic, style of the work gives a crisp, light focus to a portrait of a dignified, older woman.
Quentin Bryce’s slim figure stands in front of a long, narrow, antique table. Its polished brown surface stretches almost the full width of the portrait. Its legs are spiral-turned. A tall crystal cut glass vase supports three king proteas, each with foliage. The longest of the woody stems leans up and out to the left towards the edge of the table, another stem leans out in the same direction, its flowerhead turned so the bright pink tips of the outer petals circle the central pale pink dome of the flower. A third, shorter protea faces upwards, its small, closed head a soft pale pink.
Water in the vase distorts the shapes of the proteas’ stiff brown stems. To the left of the vase, a fallen leaf creates a shadow as it touches the table’s surface, like the arch of a spoon.
Quentin Bryce stands with the vase behind her right elbow. She is turned slightly to the left, looking back at us with a penetrating gaze. Her immaculate, thick, ash blonde hair is parted just off -centre and falls around her ears, cut so it tapers at her nape.
Quentin has a high forehead and regular features; her clear, sun-kissed complexion is highlighted by light foundation. Her skin shows signs of age, particularly the furrowed lines between her thin eyebrows; around her eyes, cheeks, chin and neck. She wears large, round, gold and pearl earrings that draw attention to her eyes and lips. Her sparkling blue eyes and bright red lipstick emphasis the directness of her smile.
Quentin is dressed in a long-sleeved, two-piece, butter-coloured linen suit with a generous, dove shaped collar. The wide collar is secured at her nape by one of three large cloth- covered buttons. She wears a small gold bar brooch below her left lapel. Her arms are folded, her left hand cradled in the crook of her right arm and her left hand gently holds her right elbow.
She has freckles and veins close to the surface of the thin skin on the backs of her hands. Both hands have silver rings and on her right wrist she wears a polished silver bangle.
The linen jacket finishes at her hips, her matching tailored skirt has light creases indicative of sitting.
Audio description written by Annette Twyman and voiced by Emma Bedford
Michael Zavros (age 42 in 2016)
The Hon. Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO (age 74 in 2016)
Tim Fairfax AC (54 portraits supported)
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