Evening Standard refers to painting of older woman as "this ancient crone...ghastliness of ageing flesh... this repellent body."

She's high waisted but it looks higher because her beasts are lower than we're used to seeing as there just aren't pictures of women her age.
Also I think people don't realise how much is below the waist proportion wise, bit like those who don't realise that looking straight on its about the same from chin to eyes as it is eyes to top of head.

I agree with the poster who said they liked it. Her personality shines through, she looks amused and like she's fun.

Well fuck! From the review by Brian I was envisioning some large bold canvas in blacks, browns and reds done in over the top impressionism style.

It's a portrait of naked woman, nothing more, nothing less.

Brian Sewell, for example, is a twat.

That's really interesting and I'm guessing the different reactions is what the painter intended. I worked as a student nurse in elderly care which is probably also why it looks 'normal' to me.

I think a lot of people haven't seen older people nude.

You see to me it doesn't look realistic, it looks totally out of proportion. But maybe that's mine (and Brian's problem). I'm a B cup, slim, 35 year old and admit have seen very, very few older women in the nude.

I agree that his choice of words... Hideous, crone etc... Are not to my liking. There is nothing crone-like about it.

It's a great painting and I don't think the body is out of proportion to the breasts - but that will be because personally my breasts are larger than my head too. I am also very high waisted so don't think the belly button is out either.

Or maybe I'm just sensitive because I would look like that nude.

To me it looks terribly realistic and I say terribly because ageing is hard for society to embrace and I can see from Sewells description his reaction us quite visceral - it doesn't evoke that in me but I can see why it might do in an elderly, not ageing prettily either, man.

With regard to the skill of the artist though, he does have a point though regarding her proportions. Her belly button for example is too high. It just doesn't look right. Her body look too big for her head. I think (read it yesterday) his comment was something along the lines that the artist got so carried away with the ageing aspect of the painting that the picture suffered.

I think she looks like a lovely warm and friendly older lady, no crone likeness at all. When was the last time Briam Sewell saw a naked lady anyway?

I quite like it actually, can't quite articulate why not being an art buff but it's something to do with the that you initially feel upon seeing a real aged female body in all it's guts and glory to and finally when you consider the combo of her body and her face which is obviously full of compassion, wisdom and good humour.

Plus it's a great painting.

Do they do a Mumsnet course in Art Critiquing with Emoticons? Cos they should .....

It's Brian Sewell. Quelle surprise.