Jack Vettriano won't paint Colin Montgomerie's breasts

Jack Vettriano has said that he refused to paint golfer Colin Montgomerie because he has "breasts". The 56-year-old painter said he was approached to produce a painting of the sportsman for the National Galleries of Scotland but turned the commission down, saying: "I don't do men with breasts."

Vettriano enjoys huge popularity with the public and his paintings sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds. However, he has often said that he feels shunned by the art world, believing that the art establishment does not appreciate his work.

The National Galleries have never acquired any of his works but Gallery chiefs said that a few years ago a suggestion was made for a portrait of the golfer, who has won 41 tournaments around the world. However they deny having formally approached Vettriano.



The painter spoke of the offer at An Audience With Jack Vettriano, a question and answer evening held in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

According to reports, he said: "I was in France when I got a call from my art dealer who said there might have been a breakthrough. 'The National Galleries would like you to do a portrait'."I said: 'Who?' 'Colin Montgomerie'. I said: 'I'm afraid that the answer is no. I don't do men with breasts. And I don't mean that as unkind to Colin Montgomerie'."

Despite pleas from his dealer to reconsider, Vettriano claimed that he did not give a second thought to painting Glasgow-born Montgomerie. His best known painting, The Singing Butler, was sold at auction for almost £750,000.