Wonderful human and great artist, says Higgins

President Michael D Higgins has led tributes to the one of Ireland’s most renowned artists, Louis le Brocquy, who died at home in Dublin aged 95 with his wife, Anne Madden, at his side.

“Louis le Brocquy’s pioneering approach to art, influenced by the European masters, was highly inspirational,” he said.

“Through painting, tapestry and print Louis le Brocquy has provided us with individual works and collections that give the insight and response of an artist of genius to Irish history, culture and society.

“I lament the loss of a great artist and wonderful human being whose works are amongst this country’s most valuable cultural assets and are cherished by us all.”

Le Brocquy, who had been ill for the past year, was best known for his portraits of great literary figures and fellow artists,

The self-taught artist is survived by his wife, and sons Pierre and Alexis.

Born in Dublin in 1916, his work spanned seven decades with most accolades for his evocative portrait heads of, among others, WB Yeats and James Joyce and his friends Samuel Beckett, Francis Bacon, Seamus Heaney and Bono.

Some of his works have been so well regarded that critics have discussed them alongside paintings by Lucian Freud, David Hockney and Francis Bacon.

The National Gallery of Ireland paid €2.75 million for le Brocquy’s painting A Family — the first work by a living artist acquired for its permanent collection.

Le Brocquy’s work is represented in numerous public collections, from the Guggenheim, New York to the Tate, London.

The evocative head series grabbed much attention outside the art world, with Irish enterprise and investment gurus using an image to promote the country as a place to do business back in 2006. IDA Ireland used one of his images of Bono for a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he was “greatly saddened” to hear of the death.