By Jamie O’Brien
A new portrait of Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, painted by renowned Australian artist Paul Newton, has been unveiled — a work that not only captures the Archbishop’s likeness but also reflects the depth of his pastoral heart and spiritual leadership.
Newton, one of Australia’s most celebrated portraitists, is known for his remarkable ability to reveal the essence of his subjects through light, tone, and expression.
His works hang in the National Portrait Gallery of Australia, Parliament House Canberra, and numerous international collections from Columbia University to the United States Supreme Court.
His sitters have included figures as diverse as Pope Benedict XVI, Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and actor Hugh Jackman, but it is in his ecclesial portraits — most notably those of Cardinals Clancy and Pell — that his sensitivity to faith and vocation most powerfully emerges.
Speaking about the new work, Newton described the process of painting Archbishop Costelloe as “a privilege and a joy.” He explained that, as with all his portraits, his goal was not simply to achieve physical likeness, but to portray something of the sitter’s inner life — “to capture on canvas something of the essence, the spirit, the faith of the person”.
“From my earliest days at art school,” Newton reflected, “I was drawn to the human figure and to portraiture. In painting the Archbishop, I wanted to reveal both the humility and quiet strength that define his ministry.”
The portrait shows Archbishop Costelloe standing in the Cathedral, robed in the traditional black cassock trimmed with red, a silver pectoral cross resting at his chest.
His expression is contemplative — the eyes alert yet gentle — conveying both the seriousness of his calling and the pastoral warmth for which he is so widely known.
A soft illumination, a hallmark of Newton’s technique, draws the viewer’s gaze toward the face, inviting an almost meditative encounter.
The composition, Newton explained, was influenced by his conversations with the Archbishop and his time spent observing him at work and in prayer. “What struck me most,” he said, “was his attentiveness — that sense of listening that is so central to his approach as a pastor. I wanted the portrait to embody that stillness, that openness to others, and to God.”
Newton’s own career has been marked by both national and international acclaim. A 17-time Archibald Prize finalist, he has won multiple People’s Choice and Packing Room Prizes, as well as the William Draper Grand Prize at the 2023 Portrait Society of America International Competition in Washington DC.
His work is renowned for its classical discipline — a reverence for craftsmanship combined with emotional depth.
In his recent interview for The Record, Newton reflected on how faith and art often meet at the intersection of contemplation.
“Portraiture,” he said, “at its best, is about presence — the same kind of presence you find in prayer. When you spend hours with someone, looking, listening, really seeing them, it becomes almost sacramental.”
For Archbishop Costelloe, who has often spoken about beauty as a path to God, the portrait is a deeply personal gift — not merely a tribute, but a reflection of the wider Church’s vocation to witness to truth through art and culture.
“It’s humbling,” he shared at the unveiling, “to see oneself through the eyes of an artist like Paul. But even more so, it’s a reminder that all of us, in our different ways, are called to be living portraits of Christ — to reflect His light into the world.”
The portrait now hangs at Cathedral House, before becoming part of the Archdiocesan permanent collection, joining portraits of previous Archbishops and significant figures in the life of the Church in Western Australia.
A replica also hangs in the front entrance at St Mary’s Cathedral. In Newton’s hands, Archbishop Costelloe’s likeness becomes more than paint on canvas. It becomes a meditation on vocation, humility, and grace — a visual testimony to the enduring power of faith expressed through art.