Although Lynch never did return to feature film directing to give himself another shot at an elusive Oscar win, he was granted an honorary lifetime achievement statuette by the Academy in 2019. He also made a cameo in Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical 2022 film, The Fablemans, playing filmmaker John Ford.

His artistic pursuits increasingly diversified toward the end of his life, from his original passion for painting to music. Just last year, he released Cellophane Memories, an album with Chrystabell. This added to his previous work producing music videos for artists like Moby and Nine Inch Nails.

Discussing his emphysema diagnosis last summer, he said he was in “excellent shape” and would “never retire”.

He added the diagnosis was the “price to pay” for his smoking habit, although he didn’t regret the enjoyment it gave him.

But his condition deteriorated within months. In a November interview, with People magazine, Lynch said he needed oxygen to walk.

However his ideas live on, as unique as the way he described thinking of them.

Speaking in conversation with musician Patti Smith for BBC Newsnight in 2014, he said: “I get ideas in fragments. It’s as if in the other room there’s a puzzle – all the pieces are together.

“But in my room, they just flip one piece at a time into me.”