Jack Vettriano Words of Wisdom Signed Limited Edition Silkscreen 52/295

Words of Wisdom is a signed limited edition silkscreen by celebrated Scottish artist Jack Vettriano, depicting one of the elegant and deliberately ambiguous encounters that became central to his work.

A formally dressed couple occupy the foreground of an atmospheric interior. The woman, in an evening dress and pearls, turns towards her companion as he leans closely towards her, creating the impression of a private conversation. Behind them, strongly patterned glazing and pools of warm light give the composition its distinctly cinematic character.

Published in 2004, Words of Wisdom belongs to the period in which Vettriano's imagery of romance, relationships and implied narrative had become firmly established. Rather than explaining the relationship between his figures, Vettriano leaves the viewer to construct the story.

Details

Artist: Jack Vettriano OBE (Scottish, 1951-2025)
Title: Words of Wisdom
Date: 2004
Medium: Limited edition silkscreen on paper
Edition: 52/295
Signature: Signed in pencil lower right
Numbering: Numbered 52/295 in pencil lower left
Image size: 46 × 40 cm (18.1 × 15.7 in)
Framed size: 88 × 78 cm (34.6 × 30.7 in)
Presentation: Mounted and framed in the original gilt frame, behind low-reflection glass
Condition: Very good

About Words of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom was published in 2004 as a signed limited edition silkscreen of 295, with a further 30 artist's proofs. Published records for the edition describe it as printed on heavyweight 400gsm Velin Arches Blanc paper.

The work forms part of Vettriano's Affairs of the Heart suite of limited edition silkscreens. The patterned window creates a striking geometric backdrop to the two figures. The man's dark evening clothes and the woman's black and green dress contrast with the glowing yellows and muted pinks beyond them, focusing attention on their gestures and the unresolved conversation taking place between them.

About the Artist

Jack Vettriano was born Jack Hoggan in Methil, Fife, in 1951. Largely self-taught, he began painting seriously after receiving a set of watercolours in the 1970s and developed his technique through studying and copying the work of earlier artists.

His breakthrough came in 1988, when he submitted two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition and both sold on the opening day. He subsequently adopted his mother's maiden name, Vettriano, and developed the highly recognisable figurative style for which he became internationally known.

His paintings frequently drew upon the visual language of cinema, popular culture and mid-20th-century glamour. His best-known painting, The Singing Butler, achieved £744,800 at Sotheby's in 2004. In the same year he was appointed OBE for services to the visual arts.

A major retrospective at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, in 2013-14 attracted more than 120,000 visitors. Jack Vettriano died in Nice, France, in March 2025, aged 73.