Scottish painter Jack Vettriano has died aged 73, his publicist has confirmed.
The world famous artist was reportedly found dead at his apartment in Nice, in the south of France.
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.
Jack Vettriano has died aged 73
PA
Jack Vettriano
GETTY
Vettriano, whose paintings include Bluebird at Bonneville, Dance Me To The End Of Love, A Voyage Of Discovery and Summer Days, was awarded an OBE for Services to the Visual Arts in 2004.
His paintings are considered some of the finest in Britain, with his easel paintings costing between £48,000 and £195,000.
He was reported to earn as much as £500,000 a year in print royalties.
Vettriano left school at the age of just 15 and followed his father down the mine, working as an apprentice engineer.
Vettriano took up painting as a hobby in the 1970s after being bought a set of watercolours for his birthday and taught himself to paint.
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The Singing Butler (1992) by Scottish artist Jack Vettriano became a best-selling image in Britain
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The turning point of his career came in 1988 when he submitted two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy’s Annual Exhibition; both were sold on the first day.
He was then approached by several galleries and held his first solo exhibition at the Edinburgh Gallery in 1992 entitled ‘Tales of Love and Other Stories’.
His best-known painting, ‘The Singing Butler’ which shows an elegant couple dancing on a storm-swept beach accompanied by their butler and maid, was sold at Sotheby’s for almost £750,000.
His works garnered international acclaim, leading to exhibitions in cities such as Edinburgh, London, Hong Kong, Johannesburg and New York.
Jack Vettriano at Bonhams in Edinburgh as he stands beside his Winsor and Newton easel and his painting An Unexpected Guest
PA
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."
