Lovers and Other Strangers: Paintings By Jack Vettriano

by Anthony Quinn

The painter Jack Vettriano emerged form the unlikely background of the Scottish coalfields - unknown and untutored - and has seen his canvases hung in the Royal Scottish Academy. His first exhibition sold out, as did the second and he has since become Scotland's most successful contemporary artist. Vettriano's images are neo-realist - real in the sense that he portrays recognizable people in believable situations, yet heightened to that level of dramatic or romantic intensity which fueled the fiction of the Hollywood dream factory or the novels of Raymond Chandler or F. Scott Fitzgerald. They are tales without text, storyboards about love and lust, possession and longing, pursuit and conquest. He seems to understand perfectly the stylish sexiness and intrigue that occurs when high life and low life collide. His men are predators, gamblers - hard-edged but possibly soft-centred, Bogartian in period and attitude. His women are vulnerable, pliable, probably playthings if the price is right. And beyond the implied narrative of his paintings there is a curious remembrance of times past and lost, of squandered youth on blissful beaches. Critics have linked Vettriano with the bleak paintings of Hopper, the sleazy photographs of Brassai, yet he is unique, identifiable at fifty yards. Anthony Quinn has written an elegant biographical portrait of the man from childhood to present, encompassing his family, schooling and career as well as pausing at significant moments in his career.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

191 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

This is the disambiguation profile for otherwise unseparated authors publishing as Anthony Quinn

See also:
Anthony Quinn, author of the Inspector Celcius Daly series
Anthony Quinn, author of Curtain Call, and other biographies.

Reviews

[Cecily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I own a small print of "the Singing Butler". I did not know that most of the artist's other work contained quite hardcore sexual undertones (they are not subtle). Not for the prim and prude.

[Nic (nicsbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of Jack Vettriano’s paintings is mesmerising. With words by Anthony Quinn, we delve into the world of Vettriano and his thought processes behind his artwork.

I have to say, I’ve been an admirer of Vettriano’s work in recent years and I think this book confirms that for me. His paintings have an air of dark passion behind them, hidden meanings behind every lit cigarette and the longing for more weaved into the facial details of his subjects. A common theme in his work is hiding in shadows, and his use of light is astounding yet intimate.

Lovingly turning the pages of this book with slow jazz playing in the background really intensified the feelings these paintings give you. I also completely agree with Sir Tim Rice, who commented on these paintings by saying, “He [Vettriano] has the ability to make you feel nostalgic for things you never actually experienced in the first place.” The secret glances across the bar, the elegant blood red dresses, the lustful eyes of male onlookers; they all add up to this deep, secret, sexual and emotional world the characters in the paintings are living in. They’re unhappy and want someone to come along and change them. They’re silently crying out for someone to sweep them off their feet, take them for a drink and talk into the small hours of the morning.

Beautiful, nostalgic, glamorous. The golden age of painting.

[Raff Eebs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found most of the paintings in the book super intriguing and wonder if parallels between certain paintings are purposeful or not (like Heartbreak Hotel and The Letter) - either way, I’ve absolutely no doubts that he is a fantastic artist and Quinn’s writing between the eras is just as fantastic. Some of the paintings didn’t particularly appeal to me but everyone has a personal preference and mine just isn’t for women in lingerie. That being said my favourites were Heartbreak Hotel, Dancer For Money, The Singing Butler (I & II), Mad Dogs, A Test Of True Love, Narcissistic Bathers, and Tango Dancers.

[Arsnoctis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ho apprezzato il fatto che sia un'introduzione al pittore che non pretende di essere una biografia, ma lascia spazio ai suoi quadri. L'edizione di Ippocampo è un cartonato che vale il prezzo richiesto e può essere un bel regalo per chi ami Vettriano. L'ho preso in prestito dalla libreria di un fan, ho incontrato volentieri molti dipinti che non avevo mai visto e sono sollevata di averlo riportato al suo posto. JV non è tra i pennellatori che preferisco, ma il volume scritto da Quinn - Rawstorne è valido. Nb: La mia valutazione non è sulle opere, ma sul libro in sè.

[Elizabeth Grieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love his work, and this contains many of his paintings, some with an adult theme.

[Rhianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Vettriano's art and this collection has a wonderful mix of his elegant, dreamy works to the sensual noir pieces.

[Noel Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Vettriano has a style that is very clear and striking. His work picks up the emotion of impressionism and the simplicity of Edward Hopper. He has a very compelling style, but many of his pieces focus on adult themes and focus on sensual images. I cut out a third of the pages as soon as I bought the book, but I love his work.

[Elizabeth]

Tim got me this for our 2nd anniversary!!

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview of Vettriano's work that contains biographical text along with his very cinematographic style of paintings.

[Cindy Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful paintings. Intriguing profile on a self-taught artist. Inspiring - it made me assess my own history and what led me to drawing.

[OxoNewbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collections with informative notes.

5 stars.