William Alexander Dargie made his name as a painter of portraits. He studied in Melbourne and in Europe and was an official war artist during the Second World War. Between 1946 and 1953, he was head of the National Gallery of Victoria Art School. He won the Archibald Prize a record eight times between 1941 and 1956. He painted countless well-known people, including artist Albert Namatjira and members of the British royal family. He was in Aotearoa as judge of the Kelliher Art Prize on four occasions. He received an Order of the British Empire in 1959 and was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1969.
