Jack Vettriano is to loan his painting, Dancer in Emerald, to Kirkcaldy Museum & Art Gallery in Fife so that it may go on public display for the duration of Homecoming Scotland year.
Originally conceived as the companion piece to his now famous work, The Singing Butler, this painting has not been on public view since 1992 when it was first exhibited and bought by a private collector. In 2005, Vettriano was offered the opportunity to buy back the painting and acquired it for a six figure sum; it has since hung in his studio in London.
Vettriano’s decision to support the Museum in this, Homecoming year, is a gesture of thanks to the Museum for the part it played in his development as an artist. The Museum’s free admission policy allowed the entirely self taught artist to spend countless hours looking at the paintings by William McTaggart, the Scottish Colourists and the Glasgow Boys that feature in what is probably one of the finest collections of Scottish art outside of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Commenting on the loan to the Museum, Vettriano said:
“I can’t quite believe that it is twenty-five years since I first submitted work to the Fife Art exhibition, which was held at the Kirkcaldy Museum and which, in many respects, kick-started my career as an artist. I am as grateful now as I was then to be given the opportunity to show my work at the Museum – exhibiting in such prestigious surroundings is a great honour for amateur and established artists alike. I wanted to do something special in this, Homecoming year, and now that the Singing Butler is in a private collection out of view, I thought my fans might like to see the painting that so closely relates to it.
Dancer In Emerald goes on public display at the Kirkcaldy Museum & Art Gallery from Valentine’s Day, Saturday 14th February and will remain on display until the end of November 2009. See below for more details.
A signed, limited edition print of Dancer In Emerald has been published to mark Homecoming Scotland, a percentage of the sales proceeds of which will go to the Friends of Kirkcaldy Museums & Art Gallery charitable fund.
All general enquiries regarding original paintings by Jack Vettriano should be directed to Jack Vettriano Publishing in Edinburgh via email info@jackvettriano.com or by telephone on +44 (0)131 215 1025.
Kirkcaldy Museum & Art Gallery
War Memorial Gardens
Kirkcaldy
Tel: 01592 583213 FREE ADMISSION
Open: Monday -Saturday 10:30am – 5:00pm; Sunday 2:00pm – 5:00pm.
For more information about Homecoming Scotland www.homecomingscotland.com