The Drover

Pugh (1924-1990) served with the Australian Infantry Forces during World War II in New Guinea and Japan. Returning to Australia, Pugh began his formal art studies at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School.

Pugh's first solo exhibition was held at the Johnstone Gallery, Brisbane (1956). He exhibited widely in Australia, and internationally in Britain and America. Major retrospectives of his work were held at the Commonwealth Institute, London (1970), the Victorian regional galleries (1973) and in Adelaide (1976).

Pugh won the Archibald Prize in 1965, 1971 and 1972.

Clifton Pugh is considered one of Australia's most important artists. His work is represented in all Australian state collections, the university collection of Oxford, and Australian institutions, as well as in the collections of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; the Russian Ballet, Leningrad, and the National Gallery of Malaysia.