Following the sad announcement of Jack Vettriano’s death, art fans around the world have been celebrating the painter’s most treasured pieces.
The 73-year-old Scottish artist’s body was found in a flat in Nice on Saturday.
He will be remembered as one of the UK’s most popular painters, having taken up the art form after his girlfriend gave him a box of watercolours for his 21st birthday.
The son of a miner drew inspiration from works at Kirkcaldy Galleries, studying paintings from artists such as Samuel Peploe and William McTaggart so intently that he feared arousing the suspicions of gallery staff.
The self-taught artist’s breakthrough came in 1998 when he submitted two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual show and both sold on the first day, inspiring him to become a full-time artist.
Vettriano’s works garnered international acclaim, leading to exhibitions in cities such as Edinburgh, London, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and New York.
His life was not without controversy, as struggles with drink and cocaine stalled his painting career throughout the 2010s and 2020s, while also facing criticism for his male fantasy depictions of women in his erotic work.
But Vettriano’s best work will stand the test of time and MailOnline has looked back through his most adored work in the wake of his passing.
The Scottish artist passed away aged 73 after his body was found in a flat in Nice on Saturday
The Singing Butler (1992)
The Singing Butler, with a butler holding an umbrella over a dancing couple on a windswept beach, is one of Britain’s most popular paintings.
When it was auctioned in 2004 for just under £750,000, it became the most expensive painting by a Scottish artist.
The piece is based on a photo of Irish actress Orla Brady which featured in The Illustrator’s Figure Reference Manual.
Although he sold the original Singing Butler privately for just £3,500, and received no royalties when it was auctioned in 2004, he has so far sold an estimated 12 million posters of all his works worldwide.
Vettriano was behind masterpiece The Singing Butler, which shows a couple dancing on a stormy beach while their butler and maid hold umbrellas over them
The Runaways (2023)
This modern Vettriano piece depicts a couple waiting at Temple tube station with packed bags and distant expressions.
Many believe the works shows the pair digesting their decision to flee, but the artist’s ambiguous narrative means it’s interpretations rests with the viewer.
Vettriano’s signature emotional depth is evident here as he explores themes of longing, escape, and connection within seemingly ordinary moments.
The Runaways depicts a couple waiting at Temple tube station with packed bags and distant expressions
Her Secret Life (2006)
Following the familiar themes of escape and glamour, Vettriano produced this popular classic in the mid noughties.
The original oil painting was exhibited at the Love, Devotion & Surrender Exhibition held at the Portland Gallery, London, in 2006.
Her Secret Life was one of the standout paintings from the ‘Love, Devotion and Surrender’ exhibition
The Rooms of a Stranger (1996)
First shown in the Halfway to Paradise exhibition in 1996, Rooms of a Stranger shows the hotel room eroticism that would become a huge feature of Vettriano’s work.
Blending realism with a cinematic quality, the piece conveys a sense of isolation and introspection, focusing on themes of separation, solitude, and personal reflection.
The Rooms of a Stranger was first shown in the Halfway to Paradise exhibition in 1996
Lazy Hazy Days (1996)
Vettriano uses a romantic style similar to his hit painting The Singing Butler to depict a windy beach scene in this piece.
The work was critically well-received for its ability to capture a sense of quiet enjoyment and intimacy.
Vettriano uses a romantic style similar to his hit painting The Singing Butler to depict a windy beach scene in Lazy Hazy
