Elizabeth, Mrs Henry Dowling

This is the only known portrait of Dowling’s much-loved mother Elizabeth. She was a deeply religious, charitable person and contributed greatly to her husband’s work as well as bearing eight children. She died on 24 March 1853 at the age of 72, perhaps less than a year after her youngest son painted her portrait. Her husband wrote: ‘The last five years were painful, arising from a severe affection of the nerves, so that she often wished for death, as a friendly messenger to take her to her home above.’

Robert Dowling: Tasmanian son of Empire

Exhibition extended label text 2010 Text © National Gallery of Australia, Canberra 2010