Historical information

Dame Ella Macknight (1904-1997) was President of the Australian Council, RCOG from 1970-1972. During her term, she commenced discussions with RCOG about Australia breaking away from the Royal College in the UK and becoming a College in their own right. She was appointed as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1969 for services to medicine.

Outside of medicine she was a talented hockey player and golfer, and was the first woman to be awarded a pilot's license in Victoria.

Paul Desmond Fitzgerald AM (1922-2017) was a prolific and highly respected portrait painter of prominent individuals, and was an Archibald Prize finalist on multiple occasions.

Physical description

Oil on canvas painting. Colour portrait of a woman seated in a chair. The subject is wearing a white blouse with a red top, with a pleated black, red, grey and white striped skirt. The subject is wearing a black robe with blue front panels and silver trim. with decorative white buttons at cuffs. The crest of the Australian Council, RCOG is attached to either side of the robe at the chest. The subject has grey hair and is facing the artist with her body angled towards the bottom right-hand corner. The left corner of the subject's lip is curled in a slight smile, and is pictured holding a book in her hands. The subject is pictured against a brown background, with her shadow visible in the right middle background. Signature painted at bottom left corner of portrait reads 'Paul Fitzgerald -1990-'. Brass plaque attached to back of painting frame is engraved with the text 'DAME ELLA MACKNIGHT/ President/AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL, RCOG/1970-1972'.