Jack Vettriano

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 incredibly atmospheric interior settings, where his subjects appear disconnected from their surroundings and each other.

Born Jack Hogan on November 17, 1951 in St Andrews in Scotland, Vettriano recounts teaching himself to paint at the age of 21 while working a variety of other jobs, including mining and engineering. He changed his name from Hogan in 1987, and took his mother’s maiden name. Despite initially 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 London's Sotheby’s in 2004. It became the 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 since exhibited his work at the Kirkcaldy Museum in Fife and the National Gallery of Scotland.

Vettriano now lives and works in London, England.