Artist Jack Vettriano adds $500,000 painting to unit sale

A WELL-KNOWN artist is selling his luxury unit and has thrown in a painting that he says could be worth $500,000.

Artist Jack Vettriano. Picture: Supplied

IT HAS all the benefits and advantages you would expect in a flat with a Pound2 million ($3.4 million) price tag. But this particular property comes with an added extra - an original artwork from one of the nation's most successful living painters.

Scottish artist Jack Vettriano is selling his luxury one-bedroom Knightsbridge apartment in London and it comes complete with one of his pictures painted directly on to a cupboard door.

He painted the picture to disguise the dull functionality of the boiler cupboard.

The work, which is entitled Suddenly Last Summer, shows a woman in 1940s costume resting one gloved hand against a car as she gazes into the distance.

Wearing sunglasses and with a black scarf over her head, her dark ensemble and coy pose add the hint of allure found in much of the artist's work.

Speaking in 2009, Vettriano, 61, said: 'To cover up the boiler cupboard I painted directly over the door. It was inspired by a love affair I had with a married woman some time ago and I called it Suddenly Last Summer.' Art expert Bernard Williams of auctioneers Christie's last night agreed the painting would be a great selling point for the property.

He said: 'Jack Vettriano has still got a huge following. It is a one-off so it's a difficult thing to value.

'I would say at least Pound100,000 but it could very well reach up to Pound300,000.'

Vettriano, who counts Hollywood superstar Jack Nicholson and football legend Sir Alex Ferguson among his fans, bought the flat in 1998 for Pound450,000.

Known as the 'people's painter', he has attracted both acclaim and criticism since he took up art professionally, with descriptions ranging from 'biscuit tin' art to 'badly conceived soft porn'.