Famed photorealist artist Chuck Close died on Thursday at age 81.

Close, known since the 1960s for his large-scale portraits, died in a hospital in Oceanside, New York, according to his lawyer, multiple outlets reported.  Close, born in 1940 in Monroe, Washington, was renowned for painting massive, close-up portraits of people based on photographs, with his small squares of paint creating a pixelated appearance.

Close later offered a semi-apology in response to the accusations in a Times interview, saying: “If I embarrassed anyone or made them feel uncomfortable, I am truly sorry. I didn’t mean to. I acknowledge having a dirty mouth, but we’re all adults.”