Sir William Dargie | |
|---|---|
 Dargie withAlbert Namatjira, late 1940s | |
| Born | William Alexander Dargie (1912-06-04)4 June 1912 Footscray, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 26 July 2003(2003-07-26) (aged 91) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Known for | Artist |
| Style | Portrait painting |
| Awards | Archibald Prize: (8) 1941, 1942, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1956 |
CaptainSir William Alexander DargieCBE (4 June 1912 – 26 July 2003) was a renowned Australian painter, known especially for his portrait paintings. He won theArchibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait artists on eight separate occasions; a record held since 1952.
Dargie was an officialAustralian war artist duringWorld War II and painted multiple portraits ofElizabeth II,Queen of Australia, as well as the official portraits of twoPrime Ministers of Australia and twoGovernors-General of Australia. Dargie painted in a conservative style and is now largely forgotten despite his substantial artistic achievements.
William Dargie was born inFootscray, Victoria, the first son of Andrew Dargie and Adelaide (née Sargent).[1] His younger brother,Horrie Dargie, was a noted Australian musician andharmonicist.[2]
When he was young, he met important Australian artists such asArthur Streeton andTom Roberts. During World War II, he served with theAustralian Army in theMiddle East,New Guinea,India andBurma, rising to the rank ofCaptain. He was digging a trench inTobruk,Libya, when he was informed that he had won the Archibald Prize in 1942. More than 500 of his paintings, drawings and sketches are in the collection of theAustralian War Memorial,Canberra.[3]
In December 1954, he was commissioned byMelbourne industrialist James P. Beveridge to paintAustralia's official portrait of the Queen, who posed for him atBuckingham Palace. That was the first of two portraits he created of the Queen. The second, a replica of the first, was painted as "insurance" in case the first was lost in transit to Australia. The original hangs in Australia'sParliament House, while the replica is displayed in theNational Museum of Australia. The "wattle painting", as it became known, was well received by the Australian public, and became one of the most recognisable and treasured examples of 20th-century Australian portraiture. Shortly after its completion, colour prints were made available and the work took on the status of official portrait.[4]
For many postwar immigrants, that portrait was their first encounter with an artwork by an Australian artist, because it was reproduced on Australian naturalisation papers from the mid-1950s. Under the terms of the 1954 Australian Citizenship Convention, a print of the work was generally present in local town halls, where many naturalisation ceremonies took place.
Dargie painted theDuke of Edinburgh in 1956, as well as official portraits of two AustralianPrime Ministers: SirArthur Fadden and SirJohn McEwen. Other famous Australians who sat for him included SirCharles Kingsford Smith, DameEnid Lyons andMargaret Court. Other commissions included GeneralJohn Baker,Chief of theAustralian Defence Force.
He held positions on several gallery boards, serving on the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board for twenty years. Between 1946 and 1953, he was head of the Victorian Art School at theNational Gallery of Victoria.
While he is best known for his portraits, he also painted other works, such as smaller interior views, landscapes and still lifes.
William Dargie died inMelbourne on 26 July 2003, aged 91, two months after the death of his wife Lady Dargie (née Kathleen Howlitt).[5][6] He was aFreemason.[7]
Dargie won the Archibald Prize more times than any other artist. His winning portraits are:
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Archibald Prize 1941 forSir James Elder, K.B.E. 1942 forCorporal Jim Gordon, V.C. | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archibald Prize 1945 forLt-General The Hon. Edmund Herring, K.B.C., D.S.O., M.C., E.D. 1946 forL .C. Robson, M.C., M.A. 1947 forSir Marcus Clarke, K.B.E. | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archibald Prize 1950 forSir Leslie McConnan | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archibald Prize 1952 forMr. Essington Lewis, C.H. | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Archibald Prize 1956 forMr. Albert Namatjira | Succeeded by |
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