Dobell, William, Sir, 1899-1970

William Dobell was a painter and graphic artist. Born in Newcastle in 1899, Dobell was educated at Cooks Hill Commercial Public School and became a draughtman in 1916 for a local architect. In 1924 he enrolled at Julian Ashton's Art School in Sydney and went on to study overseas after he won Society of Artists' travelling scholarship in April 1929. In London he studied at the Slade School of Fine Art. Dobell returned to Sydney in 1939, after ten years abroad In 1944, he caused a sensation by winning the 1943 Archibald prize with a portrait of his colleague, Joshua Smith. The notoriety resulting from this award made his name known throughout Australia, however impacted on his health. In 1948 he attained further celebrity by winning the Archibald and Wynne prizes simultaneously. Towards 1956 his health deteriorated and seemed in danger of total collapse; he celebrated his recovery with a third successful Archibald painting in 1959. Dobell won the £1500 Australian Women's Weekly portrait prize with a portrait of Helena Rubinstein in 1957, and Time magazine commissioned a cover portrait of the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. Robert G. Menzies, in 1960. In 1965 the Art Gallery of New South Wales held a large retrospective of his works comprising over 200 pictures from his career. Appointed O.B.E. (1965), he was knighted in 1966. He died of hypertensive heart disease on 13 May 1970 at Wangi.

Artist. Dobell's war service included working in the Camouflage Section, Department of the Interior. He was later appointed as an official war artist.

Australian artist. Won the Archibald Prize in 1943, 1948 and 1959. His works include portraits of the late Professor John Andersen, Sir Robert Menzies and Dame Mary Gilmore.