Archibald Prize 1942

Entries: 111 works
Exhibition dates: 23 January to 28 February 1943
All entries were exhibited; no limit to number of works each artist could submit

William Dargie won the prize for his portrait of a soldier, Jim Gordon. The work was painted when Dargie was an official war artist in Syria. A fellow entrant challenged Dargie’s eligibility on grounds of residency, because he’d been serving overseas for up to six months during the previous 12 months, but the Gallery ruled that this did not contravene the conditions of entry.