The Scottish painter Jack Vettriano has died at the age of 73. He was a somewhat divisive figure in the art world, because he wasn’t highly critically acclaimed, yet his work was hugely popular with the public. He was most famous for his painting The Singing Butler, which was sold at Sotherby’s for £744,800 in 2004, far exceeding the £200,000 estimate.
His publicist commented: “Jack Vettriano’s passing marks the end of an era for contemporary Scottish art. His evocative and timeless works will continue to captivate and inspire future generations.”
Who was Jack Vettriano?
Vettriano was a self-taught artist with a Neo-Realist style, and his themes were unashamedly nostalgic, often representing glamorous figures and elegant interiors in an early 20th century style. His work has a cinematic storytelling and romantic aspect, varying between shadowy interiors and bright sunshine, and sometimes depicts lovers with a strong erotic charge.
This desire for idealism and escapism may have been driven by the artist’s tough background: he left school in Fife, Scotland, at the age of 15 to work down the mines. However, he had an early childhood passion for drawing, and took up painting more seriously when a girlfriend bought him a set of watercolour paints at the age of 21.
Rejection & acceptance
He visited local galleries where he took inspiration from artists such as Samuel Peploe and William McTaggart, and he also copied the style of great artists such as Monet, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and Degas. He applied to Edinburgh College of Art in 1989 but was rejected on the grounds that his portfolio was not good enough.
This only galvanized the artist to prove his worth, and in 1998 he eventually had a breakthrough when two of his works were accepted for the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual show. The paintings both sold immediately, and this paved the way for further success.
The Singing Butler depicts a couple dancing on a stormy beach, oblivious as their butler and maid stand nearby and attempt to shelter themselves with umbrellas. The painting holds the record for highest value sale at auction of a work by a Scottish artist, and following the artist’s death, the value is likely to increase to an excess of £5 million.
High profile fans but snobbish critics
Despite the lack of higher critical acclaim, The Art Newspaper reports that Vettriano has many high-profile fans and collectors of his work, including the actors Robbie Coltrane and Jack Nicholson, and the football manager Alex Ferguson.
Duncan McPhee, 64, was a friend of Vettriano and spoke to The Scottish Sun about his passing, and his lack of acceptance by the art establishment. He explained: “I first met Jack when I framed pictures for him way back in the 1980s. He was a great guy, just lovely and good natured.”
“The art critics never accepted him but, the more they put him down, the more that people bought his work. Even if you only had £20, you could still get one of his prints. He was called the people’s painter because he brought art to the masses.”
The artist was mostly ignored or openly dismissed by the more snobbish art critics, but in 2013 he was the subject of a retrospective of more than 100 examples of his work at Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow.
The show featured The Singing Butler, The Billy Boys (1994), Bluebird at Bonneville (1996) and Dance me to the end of Love (1998), and was the best attended exhibition the gallery has ever held.
Popularity Vs acclaim
Whatever your personal opinion, Vettranio’s work undoubtedly connects with a huge audience. He is quoted as saying: “At least I tried. At least I am prepared to put it up on the wall. And you can have a go at it if you like.”
Maybe art doesn’t always have to be innovative and conceptual: Vettranio’s work might not push boundaries or ask deeper philosophical questions, but to millions of people it is seductive and speaks to universal emotions such as love, longing, and a desire for beauty in an accessible way.
If you have a favourite Vettriano print that you’d like to display, drop into our framing shop in London for some friendly advice.