Dr. Joseph Brown AO, OBE

(1918 - 2009)

In May 2004 Joseph Brown donated the major part of his collection of Australian art to the National Gallery of Victoria. The single largest gift of works of art ever made to a public gallery in Australia. Joseph Brown was born in Poland in 1918 and migrated to Australia in 1933 at the age of fifteen. He trained initially as an artist but after returning from war service in 1945 he became involved in the fashion industry where he owned a textile factory in Preston. After selling the factory he went back to his first love, art, and became a leading art dealer where he began amassing his private art collection.

National Gallery of Victoria website: www.ngv.vic.gov.au