1. Captain Sir William Alexander Dargie was a renowned Australian painter, known especially for his portrait paintings.
10 Facts About William Dargie
1. 2.
William Dargie won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait artists on eight separate occasions; a record held since 1952.
3.
William Dargie painted in a conservative style and is largely forgotten despite his substantial artistic achievements.
4.
William Dargie was born in Footscray, Victoria, the first son of Andrew Dargie and Adelaide.
5.
William Dargie's younger brother, Horrie Dargie, was a noted Australian musician and harmonicist.
6.
William Dargie was digging a trench in Tobruk, Libya, when he was informed that he had won the Archibald Prize in 1942.
7.
William Dargie painted the Duke of Edinburgh in 1956, as well as official portraits of two Australian Prime Ministers: Sir Arthur Fadden and Sir John McEwen.
8.
William Dargie held positions on several gallery boards, serving on the Commonwealth Art Advisory Board for twenty years.
9.
William Dargie died in Melbourne on 26 July 2003, aged 91, two months after the death of his wife Lady Dargie.
10.
William Dargie won the Archibald Prize more times than any other artist.