Nobel Prize

Patrick White’s Nobel Prize, medal and diploma

Gold Medal

Patrick White (1912–1990) is the only Australian to have won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

In awarding White the Nobel Prize, the Royal Swedish Academy described his writing as ‘an epic and psychological narrative art which has introduced a new continent into literature’. The watercolour drawing accompanying the diploma was created by Gunnar Brusewitz and was inspired by White’s novel, The tree of man.

White had a long association with the Mitchell Library dating back to childhood memories of being brought here in 1917 to witness the donation of his uncle’s peerless collection of pre-Federation postage stamps—the H. L. White Postage Stamp Collection. White used the Library for research, was a donor of books and artwork during his lifetime and, on his death, bequeathed his entire book collection to the Library.

White’s published works include The aunt’s story (1948); The tree of man (1955); Voss (1957) and Riders in the chariot (1961). The Patrick White Award, established by White with funds from his Nobel prize money, is awarded annually to a writer who has not received adequate recognition.

Patrick White is the only Australian to have won the Nobel Prize for Literature. White used the Mitchell Library for research, was a donor of books and artwork during his lifetime and, on his death, bequeathed his entire book collection to the Library.
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