Bill Leak talks with Magda Keaney about his portrait of Robert Hughes

• tell us about how you came to paint a portrait of Hughes so soon after his car accident
  
  
• So this was before the car accident?
  
  
• 'a black period of his life'
  
  
• 'He really is a tenacious bastard, and he's bloody tough'
  
  
• Larger than life
  
  
• What was Hughes response?
  
  
• Related works in the collection
  
  
• Back to the portrait

Robert Hughes -
Nothing if not critical 2001
by Bill Leak (b. 1956)
oil on canvas
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2002

Has he seen a photograph or image of the final portrait?

He has seen photographs of it.

What was his response?

Well, he looks at it but he doesn't say much, which is good. Judging by his reaction I think it works really well. I think he looks at it and just thinks that it's painful for him to look at. That's the impression that I get, anyway. I haven't sat down and asked him for a critique.