© National Portrait Gallery 2025
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196
Rarely Everage
The Lives of Barry Humphries
Previous exhibition, 2002
The exhibition begins with Barry's childhood in Camberwell, Melbourne and chronicles his days as a struggling actor in Australia and England, his creation of characters including Barry McKenzie, Dame Edna Everage, Sandy Stone and Sir Les Patterson
Barry Humphries
Biography
Barry Humphries AO CBE (1934–2023), actor, writer and artist, was the world's all-time most successful solo theatrical performer.
12 portraits in the collection
Barry Humphries
In their own words
In their own words
Recorded 1981
Self portrait, 2002
Barry Humphries
Portrait, oil on canvas
Gift of the Margaret Olley Art Trust 2003
Barry Humphries, 1958
Clifton Pugh AO
Portrait, oil on canvas
Gift of L Gordon Darling AC CMG and Marilyn Darling AC 1998. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Barry Humphries, 1971 (printed 2010)
Bill McAuley
Portrait, type C photograph on paper
Purchased 2010
The Mask of Barry Humphries, c. 1972
Sir William Dargie CBE
Portrait, oil on composition board
Gift of Marlene McCarthy 2006. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Barry Humphries, 1962
Lewis Morley
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper
Gift of the artist 2003. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Study for "Barry Humphries in the character of Mrs Everage", 1969
John Brack
Portrait, pencil on paper
Gift of Timothy Fairfax AC 2012. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Barry Jones, 1998
Tristan Humphries
Portrait, digital print on watercolour paper
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2000
John Levi at Puckapunyal, 1953
Barry Humphries
Portrait, pastel and gouache on paper
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Rabbi John Levi AC 2003
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
Dame Edna Everage, 1982 (printed 2002)
Lewis Morley
Portrait, type C photograph on paper
Gift of the artist 2002. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Sir Les Patterson, 1999
Polly Borland
Portrait, type C photograph on paper
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2001
No Laughing Matter
Magazine article by Simon Elliott, 2002
The biographical exhibition of Barry Humphries was the first display of its kind at the National Portrait Gallery.
Barry Humphries and Lizzie Spender, 1994
Lewis Morley
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper
Gift of the artist 2003. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Slim Dusty and Dame Edna Everage, Carlton Hill Station, WA, 10 July 1993, 1993
John Elliott
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 1999