Focus on this artwork and explore the abstract.
Footballer is a 1946 painting by Australian artist Sidney Nolan. It depicts an Australian rules footballer standing before a crowd of spectators at a football match. For many years the painting was thought to be a generic image of a footballer, however Nolan later revealed that the painting is based on Bill Mohr, a star player for the St Kilda Football Club during the 1930s.
In 2002, the painting was acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria, and has become one of the gallery's most popular works. According to journalist Geoff McClure, Footballer "has special significance because, together with Drysdale's The Cricketers, it represents virtually the entire sports-related work ever done by our masters."
The Cricketers 1946 Cricket Australia St Kilda Sidney Nolan National Gallery of Victoria St Kilda Football Club Australian rules football Bill Mohr Geoff McClure Drysdale