Sir Sidney Nolan was born in Melbourne, Australia. He studied at the National Gallery Art School and held various jobs, from racing cyclist to gold miner, before becoming a painter. In his early work he was influenced by the abstract artists Paul Klee and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. (Encyclopedia Britannica) In his own paintings Nolan used simplified forms to portray Australian Folk Lore. He also depicted historical figures in some of his paintings, including his series on Ned Kelly which became his most famous work.