Sidney Robert Nolan

We authenticate, certify, issue certificates of authenticity (COA), appraise the value and broker the sale of paintings, prints, and drawings by Sidney Robert NOLAN.

Australian

Born: 1917, Melbourne, Australia.

Died: 1992, London, United Kingdom, aged 75.

He spent most of his life in Australia, but also lived and worked in England for significant periods, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s.

Typical Subject Matter:

Sidney Nolan was renowned for his paintings, drawings, and prints, often drawing inspiration from Australian history, landscape, and mythology. He is perhaps best known for his iconic series on the Australian outlaw Ned Kelly, which became symbolic of Australian identity and heroism.

Nolan’s work frequently explored social and political themes, as well as literature, biblical stories, and classical mythology. His landscapes and figures often involved symbolic and archetypal imagery—ranging from the Australian outback to motifs of war and violence.

Typical Style:

Nolan is celebrated for a distinctive modernist style that combines expressionism, symbolism, and abstraction. His work is characterized by bold compositions, flat planes, simplified forms, and strong contrasts in colour.

He employed emotive brushwork and dramatic contrasts, especially in works like the Ned Kelly series, which features a stylized helmeted figure rendered in flat, graphic shapes and striking tones such as black, red, and green. His watercolours tend to be more spontaneous and fluid, while his oil paintings are more structured and bold.

His landscapes often depict the Australian outback as vast, stylized spaces with minimal horizons and swirling, abstract forms. Both figures and settings are frequently reduced to their symbolic essence, creating powerful visual narratives.

Typical Material and Media:

Sidney Nolan primarily worked in oil on canvas, but also extensively used ink, gouache, and watercolour—particularly for landscapes and figurative works. As a skilled printmaker, he also produced numerous lithographs and etchings throughout his career.

If you own a painting, a print, or a drawing by or attributed to Sidney Robert Nolan, we would like to learn about it. Please send us photos or contact us at [email protected]. You will generally receive a response within 24 hours.