Lucian Freud 1922 - 2011

Influential British artist Lucian Freud, probably best known for this portrait of my Mother before she started to put weight on, has died aged 88.

Freud's portraits never particularly concern themselves with flattering the subject - "disturbing" is one adjective frequently applied to them although many agree that "insulting" is equally appropriate. Some of the portraits are even said to have "compelling nastiness".

Other than my Mother, other notables to fall victim to serial portraitist Lucian Freud include Queen Elizabeth v2, Kate Moss, Lilly Allen, Gemma Kidd and Minch Yoda.

Freud was fond of saying:

"I would wish my portraits to be of the people, not like them. Not having a look of the sitter, being them."

and he has never even denied the accusation that he is in fact the grandson of notorious psycho-analyst Sigmund Freud.

Since his death yesterday, Freud's work has been introduced to millions of new people via. Twitter, Facebook, breakfast television, Google Blogger and Fox News.

Lucian The Painter is Dead!!!   Long Live....um, nvm.