Archie Turns 100

Celebrating 100 years of the Archibald Prize.

As Australia says goodbye to another year and welcomes the tour of Archie 100, it’s time to look back at the last 100 years of the Archibald Prize. Since its humble beginning in 1921, this now renowned and arguably most prestigious of art prizes, the Archibald Prize has engaged a variety of artists from across Australia and New Zealand, inspiring portraiture over ten decades. These artists have captured and portrayed the changing cultural landscape of both nations, while highlighting a range of individuals from diverse backgrounds. 

This year’s winner, Peter Wegner, has painted a portrait of Guy Warren who was born in 1921, the same year the Archibald Prize was created. With intense admiration for Guy, who won the Archibald Prize in 1985, Peter spoke about the purpose Guy finds in his life as a centenarian. This portrait of Guy is part of a wider collection of works by Peter who is working on a series that celebrates peoples who are 100 years old. 

In honour of the Archibald Prize turning 100, the winning portraits from the last decade have begun their tour of the country. With stops throughout the country, from Geelong, to Cairns, to South Australia and all the way to the Northern Territory, there’s a variety of locations you can view these award-winning portraits. To view all the locations and their available dates click here.  

To give you a taste of the tour and to have our own celebration of Archie turning 100, we’ve collected our favourite portraits from the last decade. Take a trip down memory lane and a walk through Australian culture in the last decade with our favourite Archie 100 portraits.    

By Zoe Moffatt