Barry Otto’s friendship with collector John Schaeffer inspires Meg Allan’s Archibald Prize entry

Artist and acting legend Barry Otto, 80, was devastated when wealthy art collector John Schaeffer, 79, died accidentally last year.

Artist and acting legend Barry Otto, 80, was devastated when wealthy art collector John Schaeffer, 79, died in a traffic accident in central Sydney last year.

The two men had bonded over their passion for Pre Raphaelite art, and Schaeffer invited Otto to his sumptuous home to savour any new art purchases.

Artist Meg Allan with her Archibald Prize entry painting of actor Barry Otto. Picture: supplied

Now Otto and Schaeffer are reunited in Bathurst artist Meg Allan’s portrait entered for the $100,000 Archibald Prize to be announced on June 4 at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Taking her cue from the British Pre Raphaelites, Allan used a symbol to reference the men’s special connection.

In the portrait, Otto wears a cufflink inspired by the so-called Millais Ring which commemorated a famous Pre-Raphaelite friendship. But instead of using the initials of John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt, Otto’s cufflink blends O and JS.

The actual Millais Ring was bought by Schaeffer, who wore it every day, according to Leigh Capel of Belle Epoque Fine Art and Antiques in Petersham, which hosted a major Otto painting exhibition last year just before the pandemic hit.

Meg Allan with Barry Otto as the painting began to take form.

Meg Allan painted Barry Otto wearing an engraved cufflink as a tribute to his late friend, the art collector John Schaeffer. Picture: supplied

In a portrait sitting at Belle Epoque in February, Allan came to know Otto as a “layered person”.

“He’s a storyteller. I wanted to capture his wisdom and his knowledge of all the creative world. He’s a thinker and a Renaissance man,” Allan said.

Allan received permission from Schaeffer’s film producer partner Bettina Dalton before using the ring symbol.

Barry Otto is still mourning the death of his close friend, the wealthy art collector John Schaeffer. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

“She thought that was a lovely idea,” Allan said.

Titled Barry Otto, the portrait is Allan’s first entry to the Archibald Prize.

Otto has entered the prize several times with portraits of his daughter, actor Miranda Otto, but has never been a finalist, his wife Sue Hill said.

Hill said Otto was still sad about Schaeffer’s death on July 14 last year.

“Every time John bought something he would be so excited and say, ‘Barry, you’ve got to come over and see this’,” she said.

“They would go to the Art Gallery of NSW together and walk around, and he can’t do that anymore.”

Otto’s other daughter Gracie Otto is making a documentary about him and shot video of Otto and Schaeffer before the latter’s death.

In Allan’s portrait, Otto wears a necklace Gracie made as a child.