Brian Sewell, UK's Controverisal Art Critic, Remembered
- September 20, 2015 23:03
Known for his disdain of modern art, critic Brian Sewell died at age 84 on Saturday.
Writing for the London Evening Post since 1984, Sewell was well-known for his uncompromising snubs of the UK's top current artists, calling David Hockney “a vulgar prankster” and Tracey Emin "trivial."
“It takes a lot of courage to stand up to the tides of fashion but he didn’t just do it, he loved it," said fellow art critic Charles Darwent of his friend. "There was a side to Brian people didn’t see. He was characterised as someone who just said rude things about people but he had a hugely generous and inspiring side.”
![Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.](/images/c/e2/2e/Jan20_Rape_of_Europa100x100_c.jpg "Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640), After Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) (Italian [Venetian], c. 1488–1576), Rape of Europa, 1628–29. Oil on canvas, 71 7/8 x 79 3/8 in.")
100x100_c.jpg "Boba Fett L-slot rocket-firing prototype action figure, predecessor to the Boba Fett figure in Kenner’s popular 1979 Star Wars toy line, 3.75in tall, AFA-graded 80+ NM (archival case). Encapsulated with notarized CIB COA. Sold for a world-record price of $236,000 against an estimate of $100,000-$200,000")
