The Archibald Prize is the most prestigious prize awarded to Australian portraiture artists. This collection represents some of the best portrait artists in the world who are actively pursuing a career in art.
Regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia, The Archibald Prize has been awarded every year since 1921. It is named after J. F. Archibald, former editor of The Bulletin. Archibald died in 1919 and bequest money for the award. It is administered by the trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
The first Archibald Prize was awarded in 1921 for £400. In 1956 it was $1,364. By 2011 the prize had grown to $75,000. Note: the portrait on the right is the 1924 Archibald Prize Winner.
Archibald Prize Winners >> Present to 1991 1990 to 1951 1950 to 1921 in Australia
| Year | Artist | Painting Title |
| 1990 | Geoffrey Proud | Dorothy Hewett |
| 1989 | Bryan Westwood | Portrait of Elwyn Lynn |
| 1988 | Fred Cress | John Beard |
| 1987 | William Robinson | Equestrian Self Portrait |
| 1986 | Davida Allen | Dr John Arthur McKelvie Shera |
| 1985 | Guy Warren | Flugelman with Wingman |
| 1984 | Keith Looby | Max Gillies |
| 1983 | Nigel Thomson | Chandler Coventry |
| 1982 | Eric Smith | Peter Sculthorpe |
| 1981 | Eric Smith | Rudy Komon |
| 1979 | Wesley Walters | Portrait of Phillip Adams |
| 1978 | Brett Whiteley | Art, Life and the other thing |
| 1977 | Kevin Connor | Robert Klippel |
| 1976 | Brett Whiteley | Self Portrait in the Studio |
| 1975 | Kevin Connor | The Hon Sir Frank Kitto, K.B.E. |
| 1974 | Samuel Fullbrook | Jockey Norman Stephens |
| 1973 | Janet Dawson | Michael Boddy |
| 1972 | Clifton Pugh | The Hon E.G. Whitlam |
| 1971 | Clifton Pugh | Sir John McEwan |
| 1970 | Eric Smith | Gruzman – Architect |
| 1969 | Ray Crooke | George Johnston |
| 1968 | William Pidgeon | Lloyd Rees |
| 1967 | Judy Cassab | Margo Lewers |
| 1966 | Jon Molvig | Charles Blackman |
| 1965 | Clifton Pugh | R. A. Henderson, Esq. |
| 1963 | Jack Carington Smith | Professor James McAuley |
| 1962 | Louis Kahan | Patrick White |
| 1961 | Pidgeon, William | Rabbi Dr I. Porush |
| 1960 | Judy Cassab | Stanislaus Rapotec |
| 1959 | William Dobell | Dr Edward MacMahon |
| 1958 | William Pidgeon | Mr Ray Walker |
| 1957 | Ivor Hele | Self Portrait |
| 1956 | William Dargie | Mr. Albert Namatjira |
| 1955 | Ivor Hele | Robert Campbell |
| 1954 | Ivor Hele | Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies, P.C., C.H., Q.C., M.P. |
| 1953 | Ivor Hele | Sir Henry Simpson Newland, CBE, DSO, MS, FRCS |
| 1952 | William Dargie | Mr Essington Lewis, CH |
| 1951 | Ivor Hele | Laurie Thomas |
