Scottish painter Jack Vettriano has been found dead at his apartment in Nice, in the south of France, his publicist said.
Vettriano, who was born Jack Hoggan on November 17, 1951, in Methil, Fife, was found on Saturday, the publicist said.
It is understood there are no suspicious circumstances around the 73-year-old’s death.
Vettriano left school at 15 to become a mining engineer but took up painting after a girlfriend gave him a box of watercolours for his 21st birthday and came to Kirkcaldy Galleries to learn from the work of other artists.
Jack VettrianoHe studied the works of Scottish painters such as Samuel Peploe and William McTaggart so intently that he feared arousing the suspicions of gallery staff.
Vettriano said: “I’m pretty certain they thought ‘he’s in to steal a painting’.
“I’d gaze at those pictures endlessly, homing in on the brushstrokes, wondering how the artists did it.”
His early works were signed with his birth name, Jack Hoggan.
Jack VettrianoHe later adopted his mother’s maiden name to mark a break with work sold under the name Hoggan.
He entered two paintings for the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual show in 1988.
Both sold on the first day, a turning point that inspired him to become a full-time artist.
His works garnered international acclaim, leading to exhibitions in cities such as Edinburgh, London, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and New York.
However, he did not forget his Fife roots, and when he was represented by the Portland Gallery in London, he made sure his work was shown in Kirkcaldy.
His 1992 painting the The Singing Butler is among his most famed work and shows an elegant couple dancing on a storm-swept beach accompanied by their butler and maid, becoming a best-selling image in Britain.
Among those to have acquired Vettriano paintings are Jack Nicholson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Tim Rice and Robbie Coltrane.
His publicist said in a statement: “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.”
The first major retrospective of Vettriano’s work was held in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow in 2013.
It attracted more than 136,000 visitors during its five-month run and was said to be the most successful commercial exhibition ever staged in Glasgow at that time.
A further retrospective was held at Kirkcaldy Galleries in 2022, focusing on his formative years and early career.
Vettriano created a portrait for one of the giant murals of Billy Connolly installed in Glasgow in 2017 to mark the comedian’s 75th birthday.
Sothebys/BanksyA reimagining of The Singing Butler by artist Banksy, named Crude Oil (Vettriano) and owned by Blink-182 star Mark Hoppus, is to go to auction in London on Tuesday where it is estimated to fetch between £3m and £5m.
Watch
Jack Vettriano on Scotland Tonight (2013)
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney was among those to pay tribute to Vettriano.
He posted on X, formerly Twitter: “I am very sorry to hear the news that Jack Vettriano has died. He made a unique and evocative contribution to artistic life in Scotland in such compelling style. My condolences to his family.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also paid tribute, posting on social media: “Very sad news. Jack Vettriano was an iconic Scottish artist. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”
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