Jack Vettriano: life and work of the artist

Jack Vettriano is a Scottish artist who became rich and famous when in 1992 copies of his painting "The Singing Butler" became the most sold in the whole of Britain.

Youth

Jack Hoggen was born on 11/17/1951 in the industrial seaside town of Methyl in the county of Fife. He grew up in a poor family. He lived with his father, mother and elder brother, with whom he had to sleep in the same bed. From the age of 10, Jack began to make a living by helping the family. He was a courier who carried documents, delivered milk, washed windows, collected potatoes, that is, he was engaged in any work that could bring at least some money. Half of the earnings the father took from him, leaving a little pocket money. At the age of 16 Jack became a student of a mining engineer. Since the 70's as an entertainment, he began to draw when a girlfriend gave him a set of watercolors. His early paintings Jack Vettriano signed as Jack Hoggen. These were works in the Impressionist style. The first work was a copy of Monet, imitation of his "Poppy Fields". Most of all, he studied the paintings that are in the gallery and the museum Kirlkaldi. In 1984 Jack Vettriano first exhibited his painting in the company "Shell". In 1987, on the eve of his confession, Gail's wife left him. Jack was then 36 years old.

First exhibitions

In 1989, the artist presented two of his works at the Royal Scottish Academy at the annual show. Around this time, he took the name of his mother and began to sign his work as Jack Vettriano. Both paintings were sold on the first day, and several galleries applied to Vettriano for cooperation. His work was described as too sexy. Indeed, he used photographs of girls of easy virtue, since work with nature from a self-taught artist was difficult. "Fetish" - a picture of 1998, a road for the artist, because, as he believes, he played with meanings: a smoking man watches the girl on call. The main thing, the central place is occupied by her black hairpins and beautiful legs in stockings. To get to the exhibition in Edinburgh, people climbed through the windows in the toilet. Because the artist and says: "My first personal exhibition was described as pornographic." Work Vettriano cause controversy. He explores sex. His sharp, risky paintings attract the attention of the viewer. Jack Nicholson acquired his picture of 1996 "Night. Geometry II ». Sir Alex Ferguson became the owner of the work "And the Spider came". In the early 90's, his paintings were worth no more than 3,000 pounds, now they are sold from 25,000 to 125,000 pounds.

On take-off

The Royal Academy at the summer exhibition in 1992 rejected the romantic picture, written by Jack Vettriano, "The Singing Butler." She tells the story of two lovers who dance tango under the gusts of wind and rain without noticing them. Only the butler and the maid bend under the onslaught of the forces of nature. Neither the cloudy nature nor the prevailing black and white color make the picture gloomy. It is filled with a bright feeling. Her reproductions became very popular and brought the artist not only fame, but also big money. And the original was sold in 2004 for 744,500 £.

You can purchase a copy of it, but it is not necessary. The Jack Vettriano puzzle is sold. Dance on the coast "of 1000 pieces measuring 70x50 cm. Collecting it, you can feel yourself as a creator.

Fame

In November 1999, 21 works by Vettriano were exhibited in New York. More than 40 collectors from Britain flew to this event, and immediately sold 20 paintings.

Elegy on the coast

And again the romantic coast, on which there is only a table and three men in black dress coats. This fragile woman's figurine in scarlet animates this sad, threatening landscape. The disturbing music of the violin is heard, the gusts of wind and the smell of sea air are felt. So it looks mysterious "Elegy Admiral." Jack Vettriano is faithful to the color chosen in the early work and the image, which as if does not notice the time and is transferred to the canvas with a daguerreotype.

Modern copies

The buyer, who liked the work of the master, but there is no opportunity to purchase the original, since their prices are only available to millionaires, there is only one option - to buy a poster. Or excellent copies of the paintings within. And the house will be Jack Vettriano. Reproductions are made from almost all works of the artist. Modern art technology as close as possible to the originals. This is not a simple seal, but very durable. In the sun, the colors will not fade or fade. They are also not afraid of moisture. Romantic people can always imagine themselves in the place of the Vettriano heroes, admiring the house for his reproductions. In the world sold about 12 million posters of all his works.

"Dance with me until the end of love"

In this romantic picture we do not see the faces of lovers. About all succinctly tell two slender silhouettes in the foreground and two couples dancing in the distance. The name of the picture is taken from the ballad by Leonardo Cohen and takes the viewer to the eternal beauty of the relationship, where the olive branch leans over the lovers, and they give each other their tenderness and desire to merge their lives into one.

"In thoughts of you"

Another black and white elegy Vettriano. In a modern apartment near a huge window sits in a chair completely immersed in her thoughts, a young girl. She looks out the window, but what does she see there? Not the landscape attracts her, not the traffic on the street. Nothing distracts her thoughts about her lover. Vettriano believes that modern man is able to feel deeply and experience not only because of his career or some material considerations. He is full of timeless emotions that accompanied a man in all ages.

Heroes of Vettriano

The characters in the paintings of Vettriano live in beautiful interiors, they are not aware of material concerns. These elegant men and women are imbued with the spirit of glamorous time of the 40s of last century. In many works of Vettriano there is a narrative hidden, a short short story. The heroes of his paintings dance on the beaches, sit, chatting, in bars, and the viewer can watch someone else's "beautiful life".

Critics and colleagues

Since Vettriano - a self-taught artist, the critics and artists of his work called empty panache, criticized him for his weak work with color and poor possession of the drawing. But he has to reckon with him, since his work has success with the public. He is the best-selling artist in Britain. Posters, reproductions and postcards of his paintings are very popular in their homeland.

Charity

He donated his painting "The Beautiful Dreamer" for sale at Sotheby's auction. The money went to help the hospices. Later he gave money for a scholarship at the University of St. Andrews. Then the painting "Olimpia" left for the charity auction. Vettriano also helped an organization that is struggling to preserve a population of Asian elephants, as well as tigers and orangutans. This took 155 000 pounds. He was asked to write a Christmas card for four Scottish charities, and they received 86 thousand pounds. In 2004, artist Jack Vettriano was awarded the Order of the British Empire.

Personal life

Vettriano lives on three houses. One is in London, another is in Scotland, and the third is in Nice. In 2010 he said in an interview with The Independent: "I live in a world of grief. I have more creative power when stress occurs to me. " In this situation, the artist portrayed himself in a self-portrait in 2009, which he called "Gruz".