William Dobell

Sir William Dobell (24 September 1899, Newcastle, New South Wales - 13 May 1970, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales) was a famous Australian artist, well known for his portrait painting. He won the 1943 Archibald Prize with a portrait of another artist, Joshua Smith. The painting became the centre of a court case when two other artists said it was not a portrait, but a caricature. They said this meant it should not have won the prize. Dobell won the legal case, but it caused him many health problems and led to a nervous breakdown. He kept away from people and went to live in his parent's holiday house, Wangi Wangi, on the shores of Lake Macquarie.