MELBOURNE artist Peter Wegner has won the 2021 Archibald Prize and $100,000 for his portrait of artist Guy Warren at 100, coinciding with the 100 year anniversary of Australia’s oldest portrait award.

“When Michael (the Art Gallery of NSW director Michael Brand) called, my wife burst into tears, and I was speechless. This is an unbelievable moment in my life. It’s the culmination of years of my time in the studio and validation of my work,” Wegner said.

“I chose to paint Guy Warren because he is one of the most incredible centenarians l have ever met. This portrait honours Guy in the 101st year of his productive and meaningful life.”

Warren himself won the 1985 Archibald Prize with a portrait of artist Bert Flugelman and this is the seventh time he has been an Archibald subject, including a self-portrait in 1996.

Brand said Wegner’s painting was selected as one of 52 finalists and then as the winner from 938 entries for the Archibald Prize 2021.

The Archibald winner is decided by the Art Gallery’s Board of Trustees.

This year two highly commended honours were awarded to former Canberra artist Jude Rae for her self-portrait “Inside out” and Brisbane artist Pat Hoffie for her portrait of her daughter titled “Visaya in a c-collar”.

Georgia Spain won the Sulman Prize 2021 for her work “Getting down or falling up” and Nyapanyapa Yunupi?u wins the Wynne Prize 2021 and $50,000 for her painting “Garak – night sky”.

This year’s Archibald, Wynne and Sulman and Young Archie exhibition will be held at the Art Gallery of from June 5 to September 26.