entirely absorbed in the painstaking process of taking Although public support is overwhelmingly
the narrative image in his mind’s eye and deftly behind him, the select few who see themselves as the
recreating it, stroke by meticulous stroke, on the arbiters of public taste, remain unmoved. When I
canvas. Like a freeze-frame from a movie, he knows asked the National Galleries of Scotland to explain
exactly how the painting will turn out. When it’s why Vettriano was not included in its publicly-
finished he will write his name in bold capitals and funded collection, a spokesperson proffered this brief
turn the easel round so he can see the canvas from statement: “As the sales of his paintings and their
the comfort of his living room. Then and only then reproductions demonstrate, Vettriano is undeniably
will he relax. The painting that now bears his famous successful in creating images of immense popularity,
monika will sell for between £80,000 and £100,000; which in itself is a rare skill. The NGS has no plans
maybe much more. Not bad for a day’s work. at present to acquire any of his works although we
Jack Vettriano is that rarity in the art world, a will always remain open to the possibility, in our
painter whose original work is immediately snapped dedication to showing the best and most interesting
up in a frenzy of demand. His larger canvases routinely examples of Scottish and international art.”
fetch up to £120,000 while smaller works go for Jack Vettriano describes these as “weasel words.”
between £30,000 and £40,000. An astute marketer, “They’ll never come right out and say so,” he said,
he also makes a significant additional income, said “but their antipathy to my work stems from the
to be close to a million pounds a year, from the sale fact that I’m completely self-taught. They have this
of signed Limited Edition art prints and a range of arrogant belief that the man who teaches himself
reproductions. It’s a money-making phenomenon is an ignorant man. Well, I came out of a poor
that should inspire euphoria, but in Jack Vettriano’s working class background where there was never
case, it has precisely the opposite effect. It’s what he any possibility of a tertiary education, let alone an
calls “the curse of success.” “My career is right up art college degree. Learning to paint was all trial and
here,” he says gesturing toward the ceiling, “and yet error with me. Today, I’m the best-known Scottish
I’m mentally down there,” he says pointing to his painter ever. I don’t say I’m the best Scottish painter,
boots. “That’s just the way I am, I suppose, and that’s just the best-known. No one can deny that I’ve made
the way I’m always going to be.” an impact. The Royal Scottish Academy and the
Despite his overwhelming commercial success, National Galleries of Scotland have a public duty to
Jack Vettriano craves one of the few things his recognise artists who make an impact. It’s as simple
money cannot buy: the approval of his peers and as that. The National Galleries are publicly funded.
the recognition of his country’s public galleries. For Their purchasing budgets come from taxpayers’
reasons that have never been properly articulated, pockets. From time to time they should do something
the Powers That Be in the Scottish Art Establishment to please the public, but no, they’re not interested in
have decided that the work of the country’s most listening to the public. If they did they’d hang my
popular painter is not fit to hang in the hallowed halls work. I don’t think things will change in my lifetime.
of the national galleries. At no stage in his long career I was going to say I don’t care, but I do care, because
have the gentlemen of the Royal Scottish Academy in frankly the people of Scotland deserve to be treated
Edinburgh deigned even to communicate with him, with a little more respect.”
let alone invite him to exhibit his work. Little wonder The only public institution that has so far seen
that Vettriano is perpetually melancholy. “It’s a human fit to acknowledge Vettriano’s talent is the Kirkcaldy
thing to resent people who are high achievers,” he Museum and Art Gallery in Fife. As a boy, its free
said. “Leonard Cohen put his finger on it when he admission policy allowed him to sit for hours
said that sometimes when we’re in the company studying the works of William McTaggart, the
of someone whose star is shining too brightly, we Scottish Colourists and the Glasgow Boys as he tried
try to extinguish it. That’s what happened to me in to unravel the mysteries of their painterly techniques.
Scotland. The silence from the Art Establishment has The Gallery exhibits two of Vettriano’s works on loan
been deafening.” and now he has added a third, the companion piece
The day after the record-breaking sale of The to The Singing Butler known as Dancer in Emerald.
Singing Butler, Scotland’s national daily newspaper, The painting has not been on public view since
The Scotsman, pitched into the debate with an 1992 when it was sold to a private collector. In 2005
editorial which posed the pertinent question: Vettriano bought back the painting for a six-figure
“Should the nation’s collection include Scotland’s sum and it has since hung in his London studio.
most popular artist? The answer is an undoubted Although Jack Vettriano’s meteoric rise to the top
yes, if the collection is to be at all representative of seems like a recent phenomenon, he has in fact been
Scotland’s artistic history, which is its duty.” inching his way forward as an artist for a very long
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