In the mid-1990s, Vettriano began to focus on film noir style scenes that have come to define his work. Regardless of subject-matter, the prevailing theme of Vettriano’s work is the ambiguous sense of narrative that is left open to the viewer’s interpretation. Vettriano has cultivated a global following since the turn of the century, with critically-acclaimed, sell-out solo exhibitions in Edinburgh, London, Hong Kong and New York. In 2004, a year that proved seminal for Vettriano’s career, The Singing Butler sold at Sotheby’s for close to £750,000, an auction record for his work that still stands today.
