Amy Winehouse artist paints controversial topless portrait of Angelina Jolie after her double mastectomy

Painting shows a topless Angelina Jolie post-op following mastectomy
Portrait is expected to fetch more than £15,000 at LA gallery
Angelina Jolie underwent double mastectomy in February this year

PUBLISHED: 08:01 EST, 24 May 2013 | UPDATED: 11:09 EST, 24 May 2013

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A controversial painting of a topless Angelina Jolie after her recent double mastectomy has been unveiled.

The portrait, painted by artist Johan Andersson, is expected to fetch over £15,000 after going on display in a Los Angeles art gallery.

Angelina Jolie underwent the life changing surgery in February after she discovered she carried the same gene which caused her mother Marcheline Bertrand’s ovarian cancer.

Inspiring: The painting portrays actress Angelina Jolie topless following her double mastectomy in February to lower her risk of breast cancer

Inspiring: The painting portrays actress Angelina Jolie topless following her double mastectomy in February after finding out she carried the high risk BRCA1 gene

Mr Andersson, one of the youngest ever artists to be exhibited at the National Portrait gallery, said his own mother's struggle with breast cancer inspired the oil painting.

Swedish Mr Andersson made a name for himself through highly commended portraits of singer Amy Winehouse and ex-dictator of Libya Muammar Gaddaffi.

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He said: ‘My mother had aggressive breast cancer when I was 15, the thought of her having to have a mastectomy really scared me and she was fortunate enough to have surgery without the mastectomy.

‘The recent news about Angelina stirred an anxiety within me leading me to paint this portrait. There is an underlying awkwardness in her demeanour in juxtaposition to the natural beauty of her face.’

The Oscar-winning actress underwent the surgery after learning he carried the BRCA1 gene mutation that doctors estimated gave her an 87 per cent chance of developing breast cancer.

High risk: Actress Angelina Jolie, pictured at the Oscars with partner Brad Pitt, had her breasts removed after she learned she had an 87 per cent chance of developing breast cancer

Loss: Angelina Jolie's mother Marcheline Bertrand died in 2007 after a six-year battle with ovarian cancer

Angelina’s mother Marcheline Bertrand fought a six-year battle against ovarian cancer, which took her life aged 56.

Angelina, 37, is now expected to have a hysterectomy and an oophorectomy, where the ovaries are removed, to combat her raised odds of developing ovarian cancer, which stand at 50 per cent.Angelina and Brad Pitt have six children, Maddox, 11, Pax, nine, Zahara, eight, Shiloh, six, and four-year-old twins, Knox and Vivienne. The three eldest are adopted while the three youngest are the couple’s biological children.

Johan Andersson is the youngest artist ever to be short-listed for the BP Portrait Award, which also makes him one of the youngest artists ever to be exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery.

Proceeds from the sale of the painting will go to the Falling Whistles charity that campaigns for peace in the Congo, a cause which Angelina Jolie is passionate about.

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Another no talent bottom feeder. Just a horrid self promoter who is trying to gain fame off her misfortune. I hate that.

- lauren w , dallas tx, 24/5/2013 16:29

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This is crap! Why don't they leave this poor woman alone!!!! Anything to make money. This artist is disgusting!!! She made a serious decision in her life.......leave her alone!!!!!!!!!!! Let her heal in peace!!

- Billie Ann , Enfield. USA, 24/5/2013 16:22

Click to rate Rating 53

Did they commission the same painter who did the Duchess of Windsor? Or maybe the lady that ruined the Spanish portrait of Jesus?

- Ted , Fort Wayne USA, United States, 24/5/2013 16:21

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The sad part is, some fool will cough up the money and buy it.

- Fedup , Hollywood, United States, 24/5/2013 16:15

Click to rate Rating 28

I don't believe she sat for that. He's copied a photo of her about 18 years old and given her cock-eyes. Aw well, good luck to him. If he's doing it for charity, he's better than most.

- massive-cloud-fan , northshire, Cameroon, 24/5/2013 16:14

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Awful painting, looks like something a middle schooler could do... and I agree it's in poor taste to do it without someone's consent. If I were Ms. Jolie I'd be furious - and very concerned as this is something her kids could find later and be upset over it.

- PS , Anytown, 24/5/2013 16:13

Click to rate Rating 17

Did Angelina state whether or not she plans to have reconstruction? Did she have some type of reconstruction after the procedure? It sure delves into someone's privacy to go down a very private road. She had the best medical intervention money can buy - not all will have such an opportunity.

- karen leigh , Sacramento CA, 24/5/2013 16:10

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that's a lousy portrait

- tamerair , Danbury, United States, 24/5/2013 16:08

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Not an art and Moraly wrong.

- michael , usa, 24/5/2013 15:59

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The painting is sensationalist and vulgar in its intent to profit from a deadly disease that killed the subjects beloved mother. However, it raises awareness of the subject, albeit ignorant of the fact that the surgery did not remove her nipples during the procedure. One would thin the artist could have at least READ the article Ms. Jolie wrote for the anew York Times.

- Katherine , Uptown_New Orleans_ LA, United States, 24/5/2013 15:58

Click to rate Rating 18

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