Based between Sydney and London, Ralph Heimans' recent commissions have included a milestone portrait of conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy set in the Sydney Opera House, a series of paintings for former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, drawings for Dame Elisabeth Murdoch and a string of major works for prominent business and cultural figures. He is represented by The Cat Street Gallery in Hong Kong.

Born in Sydney in 1970, Heimans studied Fine Arts and Pure Mathematics at the University of Sydney and later at the Julian Ashton Art School. By the late 90's he had established himself as one of Australia's finest portrait painters, with three works in the National Portrait Gallery of Australia including the acclaimed work “Radical Restraint: Portrait of Justice Kirby”.

Heimans moved to Paris in 1997 and demand for his large-scale group portraits led to commissions in London, Hong Kong and New York. Amongst these works, his self portrait was exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery in London and his group portrait of the French National Rugby team was hung in the Hotel de Ville in Paris.

In 2006, he was awarded the official commission for the portrait of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, which was unveiled in conjunction with a major exhibition of his work at Frederiksborg Castle. The work received widespread critical acclaim for having "pushed the boundaries of traditional Royal portraiture" and was celebrated for it's emotional depiction of a multi-layered narrative:

“…fascinating, enigmatic…Ralph Heimans' portrait of Princess Mary is a study in ambiguity, a symphony of shadows.”

John McDonald, Chief Art Critic SMH

"It is a wonderful representation. It is beautifully painted and allows Princess Mary's personality to shine through…It will undoubtedly stand the test of time and will draw hundreds of thousands of admirers."

Jon Dwyer, Christie’s Director, Australia

Heimans paintings have an arresting and disarming quality, recalling the methods of 16th and 17th century European portraiture, while at the same time playfully undermining those traditions. Although his technical approach pays homage to old masters like Caravaggio and Velazquez, particularly in the use of chiaroscuro, his subject matter is distinctly contemporary, drawing inspiration from images of modern life. Heimans' work represents a significant departure from the way in which portraiture is generally understood, as his paintings offer complex narratives about his subjects, their characters, and their life stories.

2011	Portrait of a Musician: Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sydney Drawings for the Abbassi family, Hong Kong
2011	Paintings for Paul Keating, Sydney Portrait of Euan and Greggor for the Grassie family, London Joshua’s Tree, Portrait for Christina Hellmann, Hong Kong Portrait for Nick Powell, London
2009	Portrait for the Boyer family, Hong Kong Painting for former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating Portrait of Lachlan for the Grassie family, London Portrait for McTamaney family, Hong Kong
2008	Portrait of Paula Rankin, Hong Kong Portrait of the Arentoft family, Denmark Portrait of Alasdair for the Grassie family, London Portrait of the Hong Tan family, Perth
2007	Portrait of Islay Riddick, Hong Kong Portrait of Rohan Chowdry, Sydney Portrait of Lord Casey, Trinity College, Melbourne Portrait of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, Melbourne Portraits for the Clark family, Sydney
2006	Portrait of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, The National History Museum, Frederiksborg Castle, Denmark Portrait of Professor Robin Marks, Faculty of Medicine, The Univerity of Melbourne Portrait for M. Griffiths QC, London Portrait of Lord Casey, Trinity College, Melbourne Portrait of Sonia Marquis, Sydne
2005	Portrait for George Philips, London Painting for Privity Holdings, “The Dialogue” Ltd, Dubai Portrait of Caroline Simpson, The Australian National Trust, Lindsay House, Sydney
2004	Portrait for the McCarthy family, London Portrait of Caroline Simpon, The Mint, Sydney Portrait of R.Stitt QC, Sydney Self Portrait in the Metro, exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, London Still Life for William Smadja, Paris
2003	Preparation sur la Terre Rouge (Portrait of the French Rugby Team), EDF Art collection, Paris Painting for D. Joseph QC, London Portrait for G.Galambos, Sydney Portrait of M. Dyer, Sydney Portrait for Kaldor family, London Portrait of Henri Claudel, Paris Portrait for Cunningham family, New York Portrait for Andreeva Fine Art Portraits, Santa Fe Portrait for Dr Daniel Bley, Boston
2002	Figurative painting for Vladimijr Attard, London Portrait of David Hakim, Sydney Portrait of Meg Sinclair, Melbourne Portrait for George Philips, London
2001	Portrait for Blaustein family, New York Portrait for Hasan Financial Corporation, London Painting for Simon Haynes-Oliver, London Portrait for George Phillips, London Portrait of Ken Dyer, Sydney
2000	Portrait of Bill Waterhouse, Sydney Portrait of Kate Waterhouse, Sydney Portrait of Eli Amson, Paris Portrait of Michael Biss, Toronto Portrait for Kate Cornet, London
1999	Still life for R. Wilson, London Portrait of Harry Amson, Paris Portrait of Dr J. Joseph, London Portrait of the McCardel family, Melbourne Portrait for Margaret Wu, Melbourne Portraits for Foeden family, Melbourne Portrait of Thomas Sinclair, Melbourne
1998	Portrait of Mr and Mrs Nootenboom for Hean Studios, Herefordshire Portrait of Alice Middleton, Sydney Still Life for G. Chowdry, Sydney Portrait of Gay Newlands, Sydney
1997	Portrait of Lord Slynn of Hadley, Luxebourg, The European Court Portrait of Jackie Smith-Maxwell, London Portrait of Sue Deeb, London Portrait of Melissa Cosby, London Portrait of Justice Michael Kirby, Canberra, The National Portrait Gallery of Australia Portrait of Derek Freeman, Canberra, The National Portrait Gallery of Australia Portrait of Sgt-Major Peter Prewett for Sydney, The Australian Army Portrait of Chief Justice Michael Campbel, Sydney, NSW Compensation Court
1996	Portrait of Chief Justice Christopher Langsworth, Sydney, NSW Compensation Court Portrait of Cindy Dyne, Sydney Portrait of Tom Uren, Canberra, The National Portrait Gallery of Australia
1994	Portrait of Franco Belgiorno-Nettis, Sydney
1993	Still Life for Bejamin family, Sydney
1992	Still Life for Mansell family, Sydney
1991	Painting for Alex Hopkins, Sydney
1990	Stained Glass Window II for Professor Les Bokey, Sydney
1989	Stained Glass Window I for Professor Les Bokey, Sydney
1988	1988 Portrait of Trevor Howells, Sydney University lecturer in the History of Architecture, Sydney
2006	Exhibition at the National History Museum at Frederiksborg Castle, Denmark, in conjunction with the unveiling of the portrait of HRH Crown Princess Mary. Solo exhibition, The Queen’s Room, Middle Temple, London Private exhibition organised by Eugenie Vrisakis, agent, Sydney
2005	Fine Art Commissions exhibition, 20th Century Theatre, Nottting Hill, London
2004	Self Portrait in the Metro, BP Portrait Prize, The National Portrait Gallery, London
2003	‘Art Emmele’, Hotel de Ville, Paris
2002	Fine Art Commissions exhibition at the Arndean Gallery, Cork street, London Permanent acquisition of portrait of Emeritus Professor Derek Freeman, National Portrait Gallery of Australia Permanent acquisition of portraits of Tom Uren and Justice Michael Kirby, National Portrait Gallery of Australia Solo exhibition at The Australian Embassy, The Ambassador’s Residence, Paris
1998	Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Finalists, National Gallery of Victoria , State Library NSW
1996	Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Finalists, National Gallery of Victoria, Sydney Opera House
1993-94	Diploma in Education (Mathematics), University of New England
1992-93	Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney
1989-92	Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts & Pure Mathematics), Sydney University
1988-96	Private tuition in oil painting techniques, Sydney