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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n A NSW artist accused of copying a celebrated painter\u2019s work is facing further claims of imitation, as art figures condemn her \u201cegregious\u201d dishonesty and lack of respect for intellectual property. <\/p>\n Lennox Head artist Jane Allan won last year\u2019s The Doyles Art Award<\/a> \u2013 a Gold Coast prize named in honour of late artist d\u2019Arcy Doyle \u2013 for her piece Seaside Explorers<\/a>, which she said represented herself and her brother enjoying the beach as children.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n She was awarded $20,000 and the work was later sold at auction.<\/p>\n But art figures have accused Allan of fabricating the story after her piece was revealed to be a copy of late Australian artist Nicholas Harding\u2019s 2011 painting Two Estuary Figures.<\/p>\n Prominent Brisbane-based art dealer Philip Bacon AO, who hosted Harding\u2019s posthumous exhibition in 2022 and continues to sell his work, said the similarities were striking and went beyond artistic influence.<\/p>\n \u201cArtists are always influenced by other artists \u2026 it\u2019s not unusual for an artist to emulate other artists\u2019 work they admire,\u201d Bacon said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut what makes this pretty egregious is that it is a direct copy of another painting.<\/p>\n \u201cThe position of the figures, the costumes that they\u2019re wearing, everything.<\/p>\n \u201cThat it depicts her brother when they were playing on the beach as kids, well, you know that\u2019s not true.\u201d<\/p>\n The committee behind The Doyle Art Award say they are reviewing processes and looking at \u201ca range of changes to come\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a time where artists are constantly having to defend themselves against their artworks getting ripped off from large faceless overseas companies, stolen from brands who don\u2019t credit them and AI which seems to bring its own complications, never did we expect a threat from within our own art community,\u201d a statement published last week on social media read.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course there are questions around how this happened, how no one noticed for a full year and more. Of course there\u2019s anger, it goes against everything we stand for.<\/p>\n \u201cKnow that we are taking this seriously and need time to work through our processes.\u201d<\/p>\n Allan is now facing further claims of copying, this time for her award-winning piece Weight of the Mind\u2019s Periapt, awarded the National Portrait Gallery\u2019s Darling Portrait Prize in 2022.<\/p>\n In a blurb for the artwork, Allan said the piece depicted her primary carer, Warren, \u201csomeone truly deserving of recognition\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cMost importantly, at 75 years young, Warren is my inspirational primary carer after a truck ran into me resulting in spinal cord injury which robbed me of my independence,\u201d Allan wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n But the work bears striking similarities to neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat\u2019s 1982 piece Untitled (Two Heads on Gold), raising questions about whether his influence was adequately attributed.<\/p>\n Basquiat, a New York-born artist, died of a heroin overdose in 1988 aged 27. Despite his short-lived career, he remains one of the highest-selling contemporary artists, with works sold at auction reaching the tens of millions.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the National Portrait Gallery said art handlers noted Allan was \u201cclearly influenced by Jean-Michel Basquiat\u201d at the time of awarding her the Darling Portrait Prize, and said while they regularly review the terms and conditions of prizes, artists have always been required to declare they are submitting an original work.<\/p>\n Basquiat\u2019s estate was contacted for comment.<\/p>\n Harding\u2019s son, Samuel, who manages his late father\u2019s estate, said in a statement it was disappointing to see Nicholas\u2019s work copied and presented as another artist\u2019s original work, and he expressed gratitude to the Doyles for addressing the matter.<\/p>\n \u201cArtists of Nicholas Harding\u2019s stature inevitably influence others. Throughout his career, there were painters who admired his work, and some who tried to emulate it,\u201d Harding wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cBut influence and imitation are very different things.<\/p>\n \u201cThis incident is a reminder of the importance of due diligence, provenance and respect for artists\u2019 intellectual property.\u201d<\/p>\n This masthead was unable to reach Allan for comment.<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Jane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/15df42a0f9cd976117ff4bff2b7831dc96594b240ffb0c2683e1e7f322c4c7a9.jpeg\")
Jane Allan\u2019s piece Seaside Explorers won the 2025 Doyles Art Award. The Doyles Art Award<\/p>\n![\"Nicholas](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b511a89e55e9dcb1e064c28f67cc8b0f885fb59a04d1c20239b3187d8444348d.jpeg\")
Nicholas Harding\u2019s 2011 painting Two Estuary Figures.<\/p>\n![\"Jane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c372b21053d1611badff40b404c5c4e820336f468750e7fa589f1a51b84238da.jpeg\")
Jane Allan\u2019s piece Weight of the Mind\u2019s Periapt was awarded the National Portrait Gallery\u2019s Darling Portrait Prize in 2022.National Portrait Gallery<\/p>\n![\"Jean-Michel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/e6794681df88a55f43ab8c43a0806e3a847e1ba285b7940ea95655a5b6ed325a.jpeg\")
Jean-Michel Basquiat\u2019s 1982 piece Untitled (Two Heads on Gold). Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat<\/p>\n