What happens when you swap a selfie for a canvas?
Portrait painting retains cultural significance despite the prevalence of smartphone selfies, as demonstrated by Virginia Trioli's Archibald Prize-shortlisted portrait by artist Stieg Persson. The article reflects on the historical and emotional depth of painted portraits compared to digital images. The Archibald Prize continues to draw public interest by celebrating the enduring relationship between artist and subject.
- ▪Virginia Trioli's portrait by Stieg Persson was shortlisted for the 2026 Archibald Prize.
- ▪The Archibald Prize requires entries to be painted from life and completed within a specific timeframe.
- ▪John Singer Sargent, a renowned portraitist, believed that portraits were not about capturing a mere likeness.
- ▪The Archibald Prize has been awarded since 1921 for portraits of distinguished figures in art, letters, science, or politics.
- ▪Trioli previously sat for an Archibald entry in the early 2000s, which was rejected but displayed in the Salon des Refusés.
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analysisWhy portrait painting still matters in the age of the selfieVBy Virginia TrioliTopic:Visual Art41m ago41 minutes agoFri 1 May 2026 at 10:00pmVirginia Trioli and painter Stieg Persson (By John Gollings)abc.net.au/news/portrait-painting-archibald-prize-stieg-persson-trioli/106626886Link copiedShareShare articlePerhaps I should have heeded the warning of John Singer Sargent.He was the greatest portrait painter of the late 1800s Gilded Age, and one of the most revered of all times, but Sargent was only in his 30s when he realised the great danger in the unbalanced equation of vanity plus truth that was his life's work."Every time I paint a portrait, I lose a friend," he sighed.As I stood in the studio of one of my oldest and dearest friends, awkwardly holding the pose for an entry…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).