Betty Quelhurst Rev M Henderson

The subject of this portrait is Rev Mervyn Henderson, principal of Emmanuel College within The University of Queensland, Brisbane, from 1923 to 1954. The painting was commissioned from artist Betty Quelhurst to mark his retirement and remains in the college collection.

Betty Quelhurst originally trained at the Central Technical College in Brisbane then at the National Gallery School in Melbourne, where she won both the Hugh Ramsay Portrait Prize and the Sari Levi Competition for the best all rounder at the school. She had recently returned to Brisbane from overseas when she accepted this commission, and had also completed several local murals. Before her return, she had spent time in Melbourne assisting the artist William Dargie with mural work.