The AP reports from LONDON:

Lucian Freud, a towering and uncompromising figure in the art world for more than 50 years, has died, his New York-based art dealer said Thursday. He was 88.

Freud was known for his intense realist portraits, particularly of nudes. In recent years his paintings commanded staggering prices at auction, including one of an overweight nude woman sleeping on a couch that sold in 2008 for $33.6 million. Continue reading.

The photo above shows Freud working at night in his studio. It was taken by his long time assistant David Dawson. In 2004, Dawson was interviewed by The Observer about life with Lucian.