William Dargie, Portrait of Albert Namatjira, 1956. Oil on canvas, 102.1 x 76.4cm. Courtesy: Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane and Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales landmark exhibition Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize was one of 2021’s most highly anticipated exhibitions, marking the 100th anniversary of Australia’s oldest and most-loved portrait award with an exploration of 100 works drawn from the prize’s history.

The original Archie 100 was only open for three weeks before Covid lockdowns, and the exhibition has now returned to NSW at the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.

First awarded in 1921, the Archibald Prize was established following a bequest from former Art Gallery of NSW trustee and founder of The Bulletin magazine, JF Archibald (1856-1919), whose aim was to foster portraiture, support artists and perpetuate the memory of great Australians.

Arranged thematically, the selected works speak to the rich history of the Archibald Prize – celebrating its steadfastness through good times and bad, shining a light on its controversies, and honouring the many artists – both triumphant and thwarted, who have made the Archie the most sought-after accolade in Australian art history.

The exhibition includes a multifaceted selection of Archibald portraits from 1921 to 2021, drawn from the Art Gallery of New South Wales collection and from libraries, galleries and museums across Australia and New Zealand, in addition to private Australian and international collections.

Bathurst Mayor, Councillor Robert Taylor says, “We are delighted to be the exclusive NSW destination for the Archie 100 tour and invite visitors to come and see the show and to explore all that our region has to offer”.