LONDON—Damien Hirst has responded to harsh criticism by Robert Hughes, in which the Australian art critic characterized the artist as "functioning like a commercial brand," the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

"Rembrandt, Velasquez, Goya, I think they were all thinking about the commercial aspects of art," said Hirst, speaking yesterday at Sotheby's, which will host a sale of 223 of his works next week. "I believe I'm only doing what any of these artists would be doing if they were alive."

Hughes's comments are part of a British TV documentary called The Mona Lisa Curse, scheduled to air on September 21.

In the show, Hughes also calls Hirst's shark in formaldehyde the "world's most overrated marine organism" and said it is "a clever piece of marketing but as a piece of art it is absurd."

Hirst dismissed the shark critique as "Luddite," adding, "I wouldn't expect anything less from Robert Hughes. He probably cried when Queen Victoria died."