World famous painter and sketch artist LeRoy Neiman, a wrestler in his youth in Minnesota, passed away Wednesday at the age of 91.

Neiman was the official painter of five Olympic Games. He became famous for his colorful, impressionistic paintings and sketches of the world’s best athletes and the world most important sports events.

Neiman enjoyed working with wrestling images and painted a number of the top wrestlers of his era. He took pride in having a wrestling background when he was an athlete.

After wrestling legend Dave Schultz was murdered in 1996, Neiman worked with USA Wrestling to develop a painting of the superstar wrestler, as a way to help raise funds for the newly created Dave Schultz Wrestling Club.

Neiman also created art of Olympic champions Bruce Baumgartner, John Smith, Dan Gable and others.

He spent a considerable amount of time at the wrestling venue during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, capturing some of the athletes and enjoying the action.

Neiman known for his trademark handlebar mustache and his ability to create memorable images of well-known athletes.

Among the athletes who Neiman worked often with was Olympic champion and professional World champion boxer Muhammed Ali.

According to the Associated Press, “his longtime publicist, Gail Parenteau, confirmed his death at a Manhattan hospital on Wednesday but didn't disclose the cause.”

He was a native of St. Paul, Minn. Neiman is survived by his wife of 55 years, Janet Byrne Neiman.

Associated Press Obituary for LeRoy Neiman

USA Today obituary for LeRoy Neiman