But this time, instead of another distinguished white man as his subject, he chose central Australian artist Albert Namatjira, defending his selection like this: вЂњHe is a member of a race which is often wrongly regarded by Australians as inferior.вЂќ Another painter, Edna Garran-Brown, also entered a Namatjira portrait that year. He won again in 1956, his eighth Archibald. Dobell was involved in lively exchanges with opposing counsel while being questioned about individual parts of the picture: вЂњI might just as well criticise the conduct of your case by the angle of your wig.вЂќДargie was not done, by the way. The painting ended up in court, accused of being a caricature. His painting, a striking departure for the Archibald, also exposed an uneasiness among some connoisseurs about modernism. Photograph: Sir William Dobell Art FoundationДЇive years later, William Dobell won with a portrait of fellow artist Joshua Smith. William DobellвЂ™s portrait of Joshua Smith (1943) ended up in court, accused of being a caricature. Nor does it seem to matter what critics think, since theyвЂ™ve been attacking the show for decades. Australia has other art competitions, including the Moran, which is a richer portrait prize, but none have the conversational impact of the Archibald.

To sift through the history of the prize, from the winners to the finalists, to consider the faces both recognised and neglected, is to encounter a wonderfully messy narrative, forever contested and evolving. The Archibald, which celebrates its centenary this year, has been a magnet for debate since its inception partly because of what these paintings reveal about the country around it, and how that reconciles with the stories that Australians like to tell about themselves. If Dargie is remembered at all, itвЂ™s for his Archibald success and his work as an official war artist during the second world war his reputation has otherwise faded from view.Д«ut that protest in 1953 was also consistent with the anxieties that have long attached themselves to this competition.

OlsenвЂ™s opinion, while crude, has not aged badly. вЂThe only protester to give his name to a reporter was an artist called John Olsen, who had turned 25 three days earlier.вЂ™ Photograph: National Library of Australia/Fairfax

Elinks border character