Michael Browne, The Art of the Game, Signed By Eric Cantona and David Beckham
Michael Browne, The Art of the Game, 1997
National Football Museum, Manchester 
Eric Cantona as the resurrected Christ prostrates himself in front of Alex Ferguson's Caesar, who is crowned by little-known Manchester United defender John Curtis. Beneath, a young David Beckham slumps provocatively against a podium with Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt. While the iconography is questionable, the Art of the Game captures the mania of fandom better than any sporting painting before or since. The artist, Manchester United supporter Michael Browne, spotted team icon Eric Cantona in a bar and approached him to pose for the painting. On one knee and with a broom for a flag, United's number seven posed for Browne on the spot, and the painting was completed using photographs of his Old Trafford teammates. Cantona bought the completed painting, which is on indefinite loan to the National Football Museum.