Quilty, 50 years Olley’s junior, thought that a nude portrait would give a picture of the whole woman: her frail body and her fiercely independent spirit. She probably arched an eyebrow when she told ...

Evidence of just how grovelling those courtships could be is revealed­ for the first time in an art exhibition dedicated to the great still life painter to be held exclusively at the National Trust’s ...

Margaret Olley was known not only for her paintings, but her generosity. An exhibition of her work is currently on in Brisbane, alongside a survey of the work of Ben Quilty, her mentee and friend.

This year’s Archibald prize has gone to Ben Quilty’s portrait of Australian artist Margaret Olley. It’s an award often criticised for being populist or irrelevant, and there’s no reason to think that ...