Piecing together the fascinating life and times of National Gallery of Victoria director and acclaimed artist L. Bernard Hall for the first time, this book uncovers Australian art's most influential administrator and teacher--whose achievements have been virtually written out of history. Never as conservative as sometimes suggested, Hall came to Australia for the love of a woman and stayed for the love of a gallery, establishing a record of service unrivalled today. Based almost entirely on primary source material, this biography includes many of Hall's own paintings and drawings along with striking archival photographs.