Anthony Pavlou stands proudly beside his painting of Alex Jesaulenko’s moment of brilliance against Richmond in the 1972 semi-final replay. (Photo: Carlton Media)
When long-time Carlton Member Nola Frawley fronted up to the Great Northern Hotel for a writers’ group gathering in December last year, her eye was taken by the metre-square painting of Alex Jesaulenko gracing the pub wall.
The metre-square oil, depicting “Jezza” completing the quintessential giant leap for mankind against Richmond in the ’72 second semi-final replay, instantly captured Nola’s attentions.
But what she couldn’t find was the artist’s signature – nor anything else relating to the artwork’s provenance as the resident publican was relatively new to the establishment.
Nola turned to the club for an answer, and within minutes that answer was forthcoming. The brushman was in fact Anthony Pavlou, son of the late former Carlton player, director and past players’ association President Chris Pavlou, who remembered completing the work around 2003.
“I remember painting it. I reckon it was auctioned off at a Carlton past players’ function and I’d forgotten where it ended up,” Pavlou said.
“I normally include my signature and the year of the painting in the bottom right hand corner, but for whatever reason I didn’t do so for this one. I’d actually forgotten where this painting end up, but I’m happy that it’s at the Great Northern, an iconic Carlton pub.”
Pavlou recalled that the painting took him a fortnight and he worked of photographs of the mark, taken in front of the since-demolished Smokers’ Stand at the MCG.
“It took me a long time to paint because of the faces in the background. I wanted to depict the typical non-excitable MCC members.”
The painting subsequently sold at a Carlton Football Club auction for $3500, although Pavlou has no knowledge of the identity of the purchaser.
But in popping into the Great Northern to renew acquaintance with the painting, which carries the signature of Jesaulenko himself, Pavlou confirmed that he would return to the pub to led his own signature to the canvas.
Another famed Carlton No.25 was also the subject of Pavlou’s artistic skills – the former full-forward Brendan Fevola, whose painting now hangs from a wall of the bar in the Yarrawonga Hotel where “Fev” turned out for the Pigeons in his post-AFL years.
The Fevola painting. (Photo: Supplied)
As Pavlou recalled: “The painting was auctioned with ‘Fev’s Yarrawonga guernsey and the owner of the pub bought it”.
Yarrawonga Hotel publican Tony Mitchell confirmed the story.
“There was a pub ‘do’ at the Yarrawonga RSL about seven years ago and I’d just opened the pub. It was an auction for charity and Fev was just making his grand entrance for the Pigeons,” Mitchell recalled.
“A lot of people have their photos taken by the painting and Fev’s a fan of it too.”
Anthony Pavlou is currently establishing a new art studio and encourages any supporters interested in commissioning him to paint their favourite Carlton player to call him on 0419 761400.
More By Tony De Bolfo, Carlton Media