Nigel Milsom Wins 2015 Archibald Prize for Portraiture

It is Milsom’s third time in the Archibald, two years after he famously won the $150,000 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize while in jail for armed robbery.

Mr Waterstreet’s colourful life also formed the basis for the fictional ABC Television series Rake, starring Richard Roxburgh.

The 2015 Archibald Packing Room Prize, a precursor the main award, was last week awarded to French-born Sydney artist Bruno Jean Grasswill for his portrait of actor Michael Caton, best known for his role in Australian classic The Castle.

Nigel Milsom’s work is the largest painting in the exhibition.

Titled “Judo house pt 6 (the white bird)”, Milsom drew inspiration for the portrait from his 40-year association with Waterstreet. Milsom’s father used to sell fish to the pub.

The artist struck a relationship with Waterstreet while the barrister represented him during Milsom’s trial.

Mr Milsom told reporters it took more than three years to complete the work.

“He put his head on the chopping block and restored my faith in the legal system”. He isn’t just a law man. He’s a writer, a social environmentalist and is involved in film, photography and theatre too.

Milson described Waterstreet as “a very complex person”, describing his portrait as “an attempt to depict him as a giant: part-man part-mythical creature, with hands that appear otherworldly”.

The Archibald Prize is Australia’s pre-eminent portrait competition, with a $100,000 prize for the victor.

The victor of the John and Elizabeth Newham Pring Memorial Prize is Sydney artist Viola Dominello for her landscape On the river.