Jack Vettriano

(Scottish, born 1951)

Jack Vettriano is a Scottish artist known for his film noir-style, erotic paintings of men and women. His work employs a pared-down realism reminiscent of Edward Hopper, often featuring smooth brushwork and lonely interior settings where his subjects appear disconnected from their environment and each other. Born Jack Hoggan on November 17, 1951 in Methil, Scotland, he went on to teach himself painting at the age of 21 while working a variety of other jobs, including mining and engineering. Vettriano changed his name from Hoggan in 1987, and took his mother’s maiden name. Despite being rejected from the University of Edinburgh Fine Arts program, he later submitted two paintings to a show at the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual show and sold both, effectively launching his career. One of these works, The Singing Butler (1992), later sold for nearly £750,000 at Sotheby’s in 2004 to become best-selling fine art print in the United Kingdom at the time. His first solo exhibition was held at the Edinburgh Gallery in 1992, and he has exhibited his work at the Portland Gallery in London, the Kirkcaldy Museum in Fife, and the National Gallery of Scotland. Vettriano lives and works in London, England.