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100 years of the Archibald Prize
Welcome to the colourful carnival that is Australia's oldest and best known portrait prize - The Archibald - 100 years old this year. Only 10 women have won the prize, and only 16 times has it gone to female faces. It took 17 years for the first woman to win, Nora Heyson in 1938, who at 28 remains the youngest winner, and 99 years for an indigenous winner, Vincent Namatjira in 2020.
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Vincent Namatjira, from Iwantja Arts was the winner in the 2020 Archibald Prize.Credit:Supplied
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The Archibald winner and the peoples choice on the right. The portrait of Keating was painted by Bryan Westward and the peoples choice of Hugh Stretton was painted by Robert Lyall Hannaford. March 31, 1992. Credit:Steven Siewert
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The Archibald Prize public viewing at the Art Gallery of NSW on 19 January 1957. Credit:Ronald Stewart
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2012 Archibald Prize winner Tim Storrier, with his dog "Smudge", and his work titled "The Historic Wayfarer (after Bosch)".Credit:Wolter Peeters
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Crowds view the Archibald Prize entries at the Art Gallery of NSW on 21 January 1945.Credit:Beau Leonard
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Jane de Teliga, Curatorial Assistant, Art Gallery of NSW pictured with 1948 Archibald Prize, "Margaret Olley" by William Dobell.Credit:Rick Stevens
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Winnerof the Archibald Prize in 1972 Clifton Pugh for his painting of 'The Hon EG Whitlam'.Credit:Estate of Clifton Pugh
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A young Garry Shead, with his program for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes at the National Art Gallery of New South Wales on 28 January 1952. Forty years later, he would win the 1992-93 Archibald Prize himself with a portrait of Tom Thompson.Credit:Stan Grimes
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Garry Shead, left, and his subject, the publisher Tom Thompson. Garry was the winner of the Archibald Prize in 1993. Credit:SMH Archives
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Artist Nora Heysen was the winner of the 1938 Archibald Prize - she was also the first woman to win the Archibald Prize. Credit:Fairfax Archives
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Winner of the Archibald Prize in 1938 was Nora Heysen with her portrait called 'Mme Elink Schuurman' Credit:Lou Klepac
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Two youngsters attend the announcement of winners for the 1959 Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW on 18 January 1960.Credit:Stuart MacGladrie
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Archibald prize winner Fred Cress with his portrait of John Beard on December 16, 1988. Credit:Paul Matthews
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2008 Archibald Prize winner Sydney artist Del Kathryn Barton stands in front of her winning portrait with her five-year-old son Kell and two-year-old daughter Arella, and was titled "You Are What Is Most Beautiful About Me."Credit:Ben Rushton
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Judy Cassab and her two sons carrying her 1960 Archibald Prize-winning portrait of the artist Rapotec to the car.Credit:Supplied
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Paul Newton winning The Packing Room prize with his entry of Roy and HG in 2001.Credit:Robert Pearce
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Lewis Miller winner of the 1998 Archibald Prize with his Portrait of Allan Mitelman No 3.Credit:Rick Stevens
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1997 Archibald Prize winner Nigel Thomson in front of his portrait of Barbara Blackman.Credit:Robert Pearce
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The winner of the 2006 Archibald Packing Room Prize was a portrait of Scott Cam done by artist Michael MucciCredit:Robert Pearce
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Winner of the 1984 Archibald prize Keith Looby's portrait of Max Gillies. Credit:Peter Morris