Erotic artist Balthus dies
Balthus, one of the 20th century's greatest realist painters, has died at the age of 92.
The artist, who had been ill for some time, died at his home in the Swiss mountain village of Rossiniere.
No cause of death was given.
Balthus inspired and influenced the art world for more than six decades, during which time he completed some 300 canvases.
As a person, he long remained a mystery to all but a few intimate friends.
Balthus was born to a family of artists in Paris on February 29, 1908.
His first published work was at the age of 12, a collection of 40 sketches about his lost cat, called Mitsou.
At his first one-man show in Paris in 1934, Balthus caused a stir with his erotically suggestive Guitar Lesson, a painting of a half-naked girl spreadeagled over the knees of an older woman.
He subsequently tried to distance himself from the painting, admitting it might be considered mildly pornographic and saying he had painted it in order to attract attention. But the sexuality of half-clad maidens became Balthus' trademark, with other provocative works including Alice (1933), Toilette de Cathy (1933) and Andre Derain (1936).
Mysterious cats were also recurrent themes in his work. Balthus described himself as "rather feline" and said he admired the independent creatures.
