Historical information

Dr Ian Alexander McDonald (1922-1990) was President of the Australian Council, RCOG from 1972-1975. Developed a technique known as the McDonald Suture for obstetric surgery.

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.

The chalk markings on the back of this canvas indicate that the canvas may have formed part of the Archibald Prize competition.

Physical description

Oil on canvas painting. Colour portrait of a man seated in a chair. The subject is wearing a white shirt with a black suit and a blue tie. The subject is wearing a black robe with blue front panels and silver trim, with decorative buttons and embroidery visible at left cuff and a tassel visible at right cuff. The crest of the Australian Council, RCOG is attached to either side of the robe at the chest. The subject has black hair, mixed with grey, and is facing the artist with his body angled towards the bottom left-hand corner. The armrest of a chair is visible beneath the subject's left hand. The subject is pictured against a landscape, with a dark sky and treetops visible in the upper section of the photo, and the corner of a white building (College House) pictured behind the subject's right arm. Signature painted at bottom left corner of portrait reads 'Paul Fitzgerald -1992-'. Chalk markings handwritten on the back of the canvas read 'A 91/ANSETT'.