<p>Painter and photographer Chuck Close, who rose to acclaim with his photorealistic painting, died Thursday at the age of 81, US media reported.</p>.<p>Close's lawyer, John Silberman confirmed the artist's death to the <em>New York Times</em>, but could not immediately be reached.</p>.<p>Born in 1940 in the US state of Washington, Close was known for his gigantic portraits or self-portraits -- some of which were mosaics and others so detailed that they looked like photographs to the naked eye.</p>.<p>Among his subjects were former US president Bill Clinton, composer Philip Glass, rock legend Lou Reed and artist Cindy Sherman.</p>.<p>Exhibited in major museums, such as MoMA or the Guggenheim in New York, his works have also adorned the New York City subway.</p>.<p>Late in 2017, several women told US media that Close, who was handicapped and relied on a wheelchair due to spinal artery collapse, had asked them to undress and made unwanted advances and explicit comments when they visited his studio.</p>.<p>Following the allegations, the National Gallery of Art in Washington canceled a planned exhibition of his work, but other museums around the world displayed his outsized paintings.</p>.<p>Close denied the allegations, which came amid a wave of sexual misconduct revelations that swept through various industries.</p>
<p>Painter and photographer Chuck Close, who rose to acclaim with his photorealistic painting, died Thursday at the age of 81, US media reported.</p>.<p>Close's lawyer, John Silberman confirmed the artist's death to the <em>New York Times</em>, but could not immediately be reached.</p>.<p>Born in 1940 in the US state of Washington, Close was known for his gigantic portraits or self-portraits -- some of which were mosaics and others so detailed that they looked like photographs to the naked eye.</p>.<p>Among his subjects were former US president Bill Clinton, composer Philip Glass, rock legend Lou Reed and artist Cindy Sherman.</p>.<p>Exhibited in major museums, such as MoMA or the Guggenheim in New York, his works have also adorned the New York City subway.</p>.<p>Late in 2017, several women told US media that Close, who was handicapped and relied on a wheelchair due to spinal artery collapse, had asked them to undress and made unwanted advances and explicit comments when they visited his studio.</p>.<p>Following the allegations, the National Gallery of Art in Washington canceled a planned exhibition of his work, but other museums around the world displayed his outsized paintings.</p>.<p>Close denied the allegations, which came amid a wave of sexual misconduct revelations that swept through various industries.</p>