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Canberra Today 15°/17° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Arts / Shen paints speaker Bishop for historic collection

A PORTRAIT of the 29th Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bronwyn Bishop, was unveiled today (November 26) during a ceremony at Parliament House. 

Hon Bronwyn Bishop, by artist Jiawei Shen

The portrait, which was painted by artist Jiawei Shen, in the Parliament’s Historic Memorials Collection on the first floor of Members Hall at Parliament House. 

Mr Shen is an accomplished portrait artist who has been a selected finalist for the Archibald Prize on more than a dozen occasions, but is perhaps best known for his portrait of HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, which was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery of Australia in 2005.

This is Mr Shen’s third commission for the Historic Memorials Collection. He has previously painted the portraits of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, David Hawker, in 2007, and former Prime Minister, John Howard, in 2009.

The Historic Memorials Collection is Australia’s longest-running art commissioning program. 

Founded by Prime Minister Andrew Fisher in 1911, the collection has commissioned portraits of prime ministers, speakers, presidents, governors-general and the head of state for more than a century.

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Ian Meikle, editor

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