Scottish painter Jack Vettriano, known for his works showing elegant men and women on dreamlike beaches, has been found dead in his apartment in France, his publicist said Monday. He was 73.
British media reported there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death on Saturday.
Vettriano, born Jack Hoggan, was a self-taught artist who created some of the world's most recognizable contemporary paintings.
His 1992 painting “The Singing Butler” — depicting a couple in evening dress dancing on a storm-swept beach as their butler and maid proffered umbrellas — became a best-selling image in Britain.
In 2005, elusive street artist Banksy based a satirical painting titled “Crude Oil (Vettriano),” on “The Singing Butler,” adding a sinking oil liner and two figures lugging a barrel of toxic waste to the composition to send an environmental message.
Vettriano left school at 15 to become a mining engineer but took up painting after a girlfriend gave him a box of watercolors for his 21st birthday. His breakthrough came in 1998 when he submitted two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual show. Both sold on the first day.
“Jack Vettriano’s passing marks the end of an era for contemporary Scottish art,” his publicist said in a statement. "His evocative and timeless works will continue to captivate and inspire future generations.”
