Archibald Prize 1939
Entries: 135 works
Exhibition dates: 20 January to 20 March 1940
All entries were exhibited; no limit to number of works each artist could submit
The trustees awarded the Archibald Prize to Max Meldrum for his portrait of politician George John Bell. A year earlier, Meldrum had made scathing comments about Nora Heysen’s win, including telling a journalist that the life of an artist was ‘unnatural and impossible for a woman’.
According to the trustees’ minutes, the other paintings shortlisted for consideration for the prize were Norman Carter’s portrait of Ralph Bodkin Kelley, William Dargie’s self-portrait, James Quinn’s portrait of George Bell and the works of Stuart Reid and Lyall Trindall.
- Harold Abbott - Miss Margaret Murray
- Harold Abbott - Neil McNeil, Esq
- Harold Abbott - Robert Gillespie, Esq
- Harold Abbott - Mrs C de Burgh
- Harold Abbott - Mrs R Abbott
- James Muir Auld - Self-portrait
- Herbert Badham - Self-portrait
- Alan Baker - Portrait of a man
- Reginald Thomas Bassett - Self-portrait
- Douglas Baulch - Self-portrait
- Daysi M Brookes - Dr E McAustin Steel
- Daysi M Brookes - Robert McKechnie, Esq
- Ernest Buckmaster - Self-portrait
- Jack Carington Smith - Sir John Ramsay
- Frank R Carter - Mrs Beryl James
- Norman Carter - RB Kelley, Esq, DVSc
- Norman Carter - Paymaster Lieut Keith H Waterhouse, RAN, VR
- Amalie Sara Colquhoun - Ellen
- Roy Dalgarno - Prof JV Duhig, MB, FRACP
- William Dargie - Self-portrait and mask
- William Dargie - The artist's wife
- Ayesha Dean - Portrait of a man
- Joseph Ben de Bolle - Major Gen WA Coxen, CB, CMG/DSO
- Aileen R Dent - CN McKenzie, Esq (President Melbourne Scots)
- E C Draper - Portrait of a lady
- Elsie Elder - Mr Casey, MP
- Nell Eveston - Olive
- Nell Eveston - Gloria Favolora
- Nell Eveston - Mrs Loschiavo
- Marjorie Glyn-Edwards - Hugh Reilly, Esq
- John Barclay Godson - Hilda
- John Barclay Godson - Self-portrait
- John Barclay Godson - Johnnie
- Helena Nellie Govett - Sir Harold Gengoult Smith
- Gwendolyn Grant - Ann
- Gwendolyn Grant - John Ramsay, Esq
- William Gregory Grant - Mrs Gwendolyn Grant
- Harley Griffiths (junior) - Portrait of a pugilist
- Harley Griffiths (junior) - O Dutton, Esq
- A F Hancox - Self-portrait
- Henry Aloysius Hanke - The pink wrap
- Henry Aloysius Hanke - Self-portrait
- John R Heath - Emeritus Prof W Gilmour
- Joseph Holloway - Roy Thibou, Esq
- Edith L Holmes - My aunt
- Ursula Holterhoff - Self-portrait
- Tom Hubble - Julian
- Evan Hughes - Bruce Salter, Esq
- Harold Stafford Huntley - Miss Eula Ross
- Rupert Hutter - Self-portrait
- Reginald Jerrold-Nathan - Mrs C Corsellis
- Margaret Gordon Johnson - Miss Berna Begley
- Margaret Gordon Johnson - G Pitt Morison, Esq, curator, Perth Art Gallery
- Margaret Gordon Johnson - Lieut Col GFG Wieck
- Eric Kaylock - Self-portrait
- Herbert Kemble - Louise A
- Clement Charles Kennedy - DAW Robertson, Esq
- Clement Charles Kennedy - Miss Gwen Friend
- Clement Charles Kennedy - Miss Barbara Dare
- Theo M Kielly - Self-portrait
- J Noel Kilgour - Mrs Nancy Kilgour
- Edwin Harold King - The artist's brother
- Edwin Harold King - The artist's sister
- Edwin Harold King - Portrait of a man
- Garrett Kingsley - John G Lindsay, Esq
- Garrett Kingsley - Portrait of a lady
- Frederick William Leist - Miss Sheila Mitchell
- Albert Leyshon - Self-portrait
- Herbert W McCulley - Self-portrait
- R J McFadden - Portrait of a man
- R J McFadden - Self-portrait
- G M McHolme - Self-portrait
- Tempe Manning - Colin E Anderson, Esq
- Tempe Manning - Self-portrait
- Tempe Manning - Major CET Newman (Indian Army)
- Tempe Manning - Father Cohen, CA (Father Superior, House of the Ascension, Goulburn, NSW)
- Max Meldrum - Hon GJ Bell, CMG, DSO, VD (Speaker, House of Representatives) (Winner: Archibald Prize 1939)
- R A Morrisey - Miss Maureen Morrisey
- Lionel Neate - Mr WR Hurst, ARCO
- Percival James Norton - PW Gledhill, Esq
- Percival James Norton - Mrs G Davis
- Justin O'Brien - Eric Irvin, poet
- Justin O'Brien - Mrs Hodson
- Justin O'Brien - Self-portrait
- Roy Opie - Harold Herbert, Esq
- T R Palmer - The artist's bride
- T R Palmer - Rev CR King
- Esther Paterson - Hermon Gill, Esq
- Esther Paterson - Miss Betty Paterson
- Clif Peir - Miss Genevieve Madden
- RW Phillips - Self-portrait
- RW Phillips - Portrait of a lady
- Muriel Pornett - Window light
- Harold Septimus Power - Dr AE Richardson, CMG, MAD (Oxon)
- M Prowse Carey - Self-portrait
- James Quinn - George Bell, artist and critic
- James Quinn - Self-portrait
- Stuart Reid - Mrs A Thyne Reid
- Eileen M Robertson - Self-portrait
- J H R Rousel - Judge Coyle
- J H R Rousel - George H Forsyth, Esq
- John Thomas Nightingale Rowell - Prof A Boyce Gibson, MA (Oxon)
- John Thomas Nightingale Rowell - John Bowles, sculptor
- William Rowell - Francis de Castella
- William Rowell - Major-Gen Sir William Glasgow, KCB, CMG, DSO, VD
- William Rowell - Jackeroo
- William Rowell - Dr AE Mills
- Horace Rudgley - Mrs H Rudgley
- Samuel Rudgley - Self-portrait
- A W Sampson - Margaret Verrell
- Eric Saunders - Mischa Burlakov
- Eric Saunders - Kylie Tennant
- Roderick Shaw - Richard Edwards, BA
- Reginald Jack Shepherd - Laurel
- Joshua Smith - Sister M Deane
- W Sprenger - Self-portrait
- S Scott Sudlow - Self-portrait
- Graham A Thorley - Senator Major-Gen CH Brand, CBCMG, CVO, DSO
- Dora Toovey - Miss Ruth Eason
- Frederick Lyttelton Tregear - Self-portrait
- Lyall Trindall - Mrs R Rajola
- Albert Tucker - Harry de Hartog
- Roland Wakelin - Mother and child
- Leslie J Walker - AC Martin, Esq
- Leslie J Walker - F Pidcock, Esq
- Douglas Watson - Self-portrait
- Harold V Whitlock - Self-portrait
- Rita Wilson - Self-portrait
- Margery Withers - R McCann, Esq
- Joseph Wolinski - H Neville Smith, Esq
- Joseph Wolinski - Desiderius Orban
- Joseph Wolinski - Self-portrait
- Joseph Wolinski - Ald ES Marks
- Joseph Wolinski - Thomas Ranken, Esq
- Arnold Zimmerman - Self-portrait