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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Portrait of Mr Frank Packer

1956
Judy Cassab AO CBE

oil on composition board (frame: 137.5 cm x 107.5 cm, support: 123.0 cm x 92.5 cm)

Sir Frank Packer KBE (1906–1974), media proprietor, started as a cadet journalist on the Daily Guardian, which was part-owned by his father. He subsequently became advertising manager at Smith's Newspapers and in 1933, in partnership with Edward Theodore, published the first edition of the Australian Women's Weekly. After inheriting the bulk of his father's media interests, he formed Consolidated Press, launching the Daily Telegraph in 1936. His company Television Corporation was one of the first to hold a commercial television licence in Australia, with TCN-9 beginning test transmissions in July 1956. Packer was knighted in 1959. By the early 1960s, Women's Weekly had grown to a circulation exceeding 800,000, helping Australian Consolidated Press (as it was known from 1957) become the largest magazine publisher in the southern hemisphere by the time of Packer's death.

A keen art collector, Packer supported artists through the Women's Weekly art prizes. Judy Cassab won the women's section of the Weekly's portrait prize in 1955 and 1956, leading to the creation of this portrait of Packer. It was acquired by ACP some years later. Packer's widow and second wife, Florence, Lady Packer, recalled that it had 'lived mainly in Frank's favourite place: the office'.

Gift of the Packer family 2006
© Judy Cassab/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Judy Cassab AO CBE (age 36 in 1956)

Sir Frank Packer (age 50 in 1956)

Donated by

Lady Florence Packer (2 portraits)

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency