The Faces of Mary Aikenhead
Our new exhibition, The Faces of Mary Aikenhead, opens June 1, 2026
A portrait by J.A.
Although there are no known photographs of Mary Aikenhead, many of us are familiar with various depictions of her face. She is often seen as a young woman with lacy collar and curls or, in the most frequently reproduced depiction, the 1844 portrait painted by the Irish artist, Nicholas Joseph Crowley (1819–1857). There are other more contemporary works too – busts, medals, drawings, icons to name a few, and many of these have been based on the familiar Crowley portrait.
Our new exhibition, Faces of Mary Aikenhead, features some familiar and some not so familiar depictions of our foundress.
There are a few surprises too! One such is a little viewed image that depicts a remarkably different Mary Aikenhead. Transferred to the Congregational Archives in 1993 after its display for many years at St Vincent’s Convent and Generalate at Potts Point, this large oil portrait, painted in 1880 is signed by an unknown artist, ‘J.A.’ It is believed the portrait was more likely painted in Australia rather than Ireland, as Mary is depicted wearing the Australian-style collar as a part of the religious habit, not the Irish split collar that was worn in her day.
Prior to the Archives’ relocation, significant professional conservation work was undertaken on the portrait, preserving and stabilising the fragile work to ensure it can continue to be appreciated for generations to come.
The Congregational Archives has generously allowed us to exhibit this portrait for the duration of the Faces of Mary Aikenhead exhibition. A small part of the portrait is featured below. We invite you to visit us, see the complete portrait and sit with this version of this extraordinary woman for a while.
If you have recollections of this portrait or any of the other images of Mary Aikenhead, you are invited to contact us at the Heritage Centre. We’d love to hear from you.
This exhibition is part of our Sacred Stories series.
Plan your visit and join us. There are new things to see and activities to be part of.