The Art Newspaper

JACKIE HONSIG-ERLENBURG, LONDON

Donald Lee, why criticise a man unnecessarily who achieved so much in his lifetime? Robert Hughes was not afraid to say what he thought. He was straightforward and honest. He learnt about art from looking and experiencing the real stuff. He did not regurgitate or learn from studying books or sitting in a lecture hall somewhere. And that is what makes him great. He saw with a clarity we rarely see anymore. By calling him a bully as in the previous comment just shows ignorance. His life achievements should be celebrated for he achieved much, and always with courage and confidence. Credit where credit is due. Robert you are missed.

RAY MANDELSON, LOS ANGELES

The positive contributions of Robert Hughes should be left to the literati because he was, without exception, an excellent historian, as in The Fatal Shore and Rome. His books on artists Lucien Freud and Frank Auerbach were mostly love letters to friends in London whom he admired. In the context of The Art Newspaper, Donald Lee should be commended for his objective views on Hughes' life that have all been overlooked. Not all of his movements have been 'elegant and masterly'. Yes, he has had many of these moments but they must be carefully balanced with his bullying of many artists and his elitism over the lesser mortals. Speaking of lesser mortals, I'm going to count to three and you have to name just ONE female artist Hughes has admired and has bothered to bolster their careers in the way he has with men......1, 2, 3......I thought so. If you want to criticize Hughes universally, let's agree that he was an out-of-touch misogynist.

CATHERINE, AREZZO

I second Emma and Slawek, what a sour little obituary neatly teamed with an unflattering photograph

EMMA, LONDON

What a waste of an obit. Hughes was a much better man than the writer of this article allows. Being rude about Hughes doesn't make you his equal.

RON POLLARD, DENVER

I really loved his last polemic film "The Mona Lisa Curse". I suspect it was his goodbye kiss to the art world. Such as it is.

SLAWEK GORA, LONDON

As if it mattered whom he wanted to be at his 18 or 20 rather than whom he became. And he was marvelous, inspiring, gifted and individual art critic and writer. That malignant article indicates how Hughes must've been hated in the art world.