I was given a copy of the Companion Guide to the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra (https://www.portrait.gov.au/content/the-companion) at lunch-time and have spent the afternoon and evening reading it. 

I find it fascinating how broad and deep the collection is in spite of only being founded (or re-founded as an independent institution) in 1998. They have maybe been a touch more liberal in the categories of sitter admitted – a surfer gets in and so does a champion woodchopper. It is, not surprisingly, less historical and more contemporary than the London version. But there’s a beautiful portrait of Captain Cook acquired in 2000, a fascinating carte-de-visite of Queen Victoria – she was so short – and a brilliant Polly Borland of the late Queen. The only person I’m sorry didn’t make the cut was Andrew Sayers, the first director of the gallery, who gave it its strong sense of historical (and art historical) authority. So, I am posting his portrait in his honour:-