The Art Gallery of New South Wales has announced the 57 finalists competing for this year’s Archibald Prize.

For the first time, the shortlist for the prestigious portraiture competition contains more works by women (30) than men and the number of selected works by First Nations artists hits a new high.

Among the portraits under consideration is Oliver Shepherd’s Maestro, a portrait of the London-based Australian conductor Jessica Cottis, currently the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.

Shepherd’s friend, an oboist in CSO, suggested he paint Cottis. Given tickets to her concert, he was enthralled by her conducting, and they arranged to meet.

“My formative years were spent as a musician, so we had much to talk about,” said Shepherd, a first-time Archibald finalist. “Jessica experiences synaesthesia, ‘hearing’ colours like viridian and electric blue, which I was keen to reference in my portrait of her.”

“The light and shadow on the concrete background direct us to three focal points – her face, baton and score – exploring how the conductor communicates with her orchestra.”

Maestro Jessica Cottis, as painted by Oliver Shepherd

Shepherd chose the pose after sketching Cottis...