The Art Gallery of New South Wales has received a significant gift of Australian art from the notable private art collection of the late influential Sydney broadcaster John Laws CBE and his wife Caroline Laws.
Now part of the Art Gallery’s permanent collection, the John and Caroline Laws collection consists of 10 important works of art, thoughtfully collected over several decades and long displayed in the couple’s home.
It includes four paintings by John Russell, the only Australian painter closely associated with leading late 19th-century French artists, including Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Henri Matisse, as well as two important paintings by Rupert Bunny – one of the most successful Australian expatriate artists of his generation.
The collection also includes work by under-represented women artists: a watercolour of the newly completed Sydney Harbour Bridge by Adelaide painter Gwen Barringer, and an intimate oil study of gum blossoms by Jane Price, one of only three women affiliated with the Heidelberg School of Australian impressionist painters in the 1880s.
Rounding out the gift are two striking landscapes: a major watercolour of England’s Lake District by John Glover, and a drawing of the Fish River by Brett Whiteley, created while the artist was staying at the Laws’ Oberon property in 1979.
Several key works by Russell and Bunny were previously lent to the Art Gallery for major exhibitions – John Russell: Australia’s French Impressionist (2018) and Rupert Bunny: Artist in Paris (2009–10) – establishing a longstanding relationship that culminates in this gift.
“We are deeply grateful to the estate of John and Caroline Laws for this significant and generous gift. It’s a lasting expression of their passion for Australian art and collecting during their 44-year marriage, and a generous legacy for the people of New South Wales. Bequests such as this provide vital philanthropic support and strengthen the Art Gallery’s permanent collection in profound and enduring ways,” said Art Gallery of New South Wales Director of Collections and Exhibitions Wayne Tunnicliffe.
“John and Caroline were devoted collectors of international and Australian art. It’s a privilege to see their wish realised through the gift of these works to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where they will be enjoyed by audiences now and into the future,” said Laws’ long-time personal assistant Jodee Borgo.
John Laws CBE (1935–2025) was one of Australia’s most prominent and enduring radio broadcasters, with a career spanning seven decades. Known for his distinctive voice and influential presence in Australian media, he was also a keen collector of fine art and antiques.
Caroline Laws (d. 2020) shared her husband’s deep interest in art and design. Together, they built a collection defined by connoisseurship, curiosity and a strong appreciation for both Australian and European traditions.
The John and Caroline Laws collection is now on display in the Naala Nura building. For more information, visit: www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au for details.
Image: John Laws’ long-time personal assistant Jodee Borgo and Wayne Tunnicliffe, director of collections and exhibitions, Art Gallery of New South Wales, featuring artworks from the John and Caroline Laws Collection 2026 © the artists, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter