1940

In 1940, long-time Geelong Gallery supporter James Hugh McPhillimy died, the namesake of our J H McPhillimy Gallery.

This year, the J H McPhillimy prize focused on oil painting and the F E Richardson prize recognised outstanding achievement in watercolours. 

The two works that took the crowns this year, like the previous year, were starkly different, yet possess impressive levels of skill and beauty. 

The winner of the J H McPhillimy prize was Australian artist William Dargie, for his work Portrait of the artist’s wife. John Loxton won the F E Richardson prize for his work Evening gleam, Woodend. 

William Dargie was renowned for his portrait painting, winning the Archibald Prize eight times.