James Fairfax: Portrait of a Collector in Eleven Objects

By Alexander Edward Gilly

James Fairfax was one of the nation's greatest philanthropists, collectors and champions of Australian art. Chairman of what was then known as John Fairfax Ltd, he published Art in Australia, put together one of the country's most important collections of European old masters, and was one of the Art Gallery of New South Wales's most generous benefactors. This evocative new biography from his nephew, Alex Gilly, pieces together Fairfax's life through the prism of his collection. From a long-case clock built by Fairfax's grandfather and given to his parents as a wedding gift to a sculpture by Robert Klippel and a silkscreen by Henry Moore and a mural created for his country home by Donald Friend.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1761170627
• ISBN13: 9781761170621
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: NewSouth Books
• Length: 352 Pages