W B McInnes (Self-portrait)

WB McInnes entered three works into the inaugural Archibald Prize, which he won for his portrait of architect Desbrowe Annear. We know that one of the works was a self-portrait.

The Australasian critic’s review of the exhibition states, ‘Mr McInnes shows himself at work in his studio, a powerfully drawn study, but rather disorderly in treatment’, while the Daily Telegraph critic wrote, ‘Mr McInnes’ portrait of himself is an interesting experiment, which might have filled a smaller canvas’.

The undated portrait reproduced here is likely the one entered in the 1921 Archibald Prize, when McInnes was 32 years of age, given its scale and ‘unfinished’ appearance.