We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

Lesley Moline Miss Betty Archdale

90 x 80 cm

Image courtesy the artist's estate

Feminist, educator and cricketer Helen Elizabeth (Betty) Archdale (1907–2000) was headmistress of the Anglican girls school Abbotsleigh, Wahroonga between 1958 and 1970, where she was known to the students as Archie. The school holds this portrait of Archdale by Lesley Moline as well as one by Edna Garran-Brown from the Archibald Prize 1974. Archdale is also the subject of a 1969 Archibald portrait by Reginald Jerrod-Nathan.

Moline was concerned that she’d made her sitter too ‘jowly’ but, according to a note from the artist to her father, Archdale had said, ‘I am jowly – it’s not a beauty contest!’