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Portraits of Chief Justices and the first bench

High Court Historic Memorials Collection and other portraits
Portraits of all the former Chief Justices of the High Court of Australia are on public display in the High Court building in Canberra.
The portraits of the first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sir Samual Griffith, Justice Sir Edmund Barton, and Justice Richard O'Connor, hang in Court 1.
The portraits of Chief Justices Sir Adrian Knox, Sir Isaac Isaacs, Frank Gavan Duffy, Sir JG Latham and Sir Owen Dixon hang in Court 2.
The portraits of Chief Justice Sir Garfield Barwick and Chief Justices Sir Harry Gibbs, Sir Anthony Mason, Sir Gerard Brennan and the Hon Murray Gleeson hang in Court 3.
Many of the portraits of the Chief Justices in the collection were not acquired directly by the Court, but were commissioned through the Historic Memorials Committee chaired by the Prime Minister. Since 1911 the Commonwealth has commissioned portraits of the most senior Commonwealth office holders, including Chief Justices, for the Historic Memorials Collection. Many portraits of former Chief Justices had been on long term loan to the Court. In December 2011 ownership of those portraits was transferred to the Court. The works transferred form the High Court of Australia Historic Memorials Collection and are labelled accordingly. Some of the portraits not in the High Court Historic Memorial Collection have been purchased or donated to the Court.

  • Court 1
  • Sir William (Bill) Alexander DARGIE
  • (1912–2003)
  • Sir Samuel Griffith
  • 1979
  • oil on canvas
  • A copy of an earlier portrait by Godfrey Rivers (1859-1925). High Court of Australia Historic Memorials Collection
  • Court 1
  • Sir John Campbell LONGSTAFF
  • (1861–1941)
  • Sir Edmund Barton
  • 1911
  • oil on canvas
  • High Court of Australia Historic Memorials Collection
  • Court 2
  • Jack Noel KILGOUR
  • (1900–1987)
  • Sir Adrian Knox
  • 1973
  • oil on canvas
  • Copy of a portrait by Florence Rodway (1891-1971). On permanent loan to the High Court from the National Gallery of Australia.
  • Court 1
  • Percy FS Spence
  • (1868–1933)
  • Mr Justice O'Connor
  • 1913
  • oil on canvas
  • High Court of Australia Historic Memorials Collection
  • Court 2
  • Percival (Percy) WHITE
  • (1885–1967)
  • Sir Isaac Isaacs
  • 1930
  • oil on canvas
  • Presented to the High Court by the Judean League of Victoria, collection of the High Court of Australia
  • Court 2
  • William Beckwith (WB) McINNES
  • (1889–1939)
  • Frank Gavan Duffy
  • 1935
  • oil on canvas
  • High Court of Australia Historic Memorials Collection
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