Veteran art critic Brian Sewell dies aged 84

The 84-year-old had been receiving chemotherapy since September past year .

Veteran British art critic and broadcaster Brian Sewell died today in his London home after a long battle with cancer.

“He always kept his barbs sharpened, his pen toxic, his dislike of mediocrity deadly serious”.

“He has been at the heart of the Evening Standard and so dear to our readers for a generation”.

Mr Sewell, who was diagnosed with cancer a year ago , died at his London home on Saturday morning, his agent Francine Fletcher said.

In the past he had also been described as “Britain’s most famous and controversial art critic”.

In 1994, 35 prominent figures in the art world, including Bridget Riley and Maureen Paley signed a letter to the Evening Standard, attacking him for “homophobia”, “misogyny”, “demagogy”, “hypocrisy”, “artistic prejudice”, “formulaic insults” and “predictable scurrility”.

The paper’s chairman, Evgeny Lebedev, added: “Very sad to hear of Brian Sewell’s death”.

“Brian is irreplaceable. We will miss him deeply as will all of our readers”.

His acerbic wit and sharp tongue were well known – particularly his criticism of the Turner Prize and contemporary art.

Born in 1931 and raised in London, Mr Sewell turned down a place at Oxford University to study at the Courtauld Institute of Art.

When art historian and mentor Anthony Blunt was exposed as “the Fourth Man” in the Burgess-Maclean Cambridge spy scandal in 1979, Sewell found himself in the news for the very first time.

Tributes have poured in on social media since Mr Sewell’s death was announced.