An Imperfect Past by Jack Vettriano | Rare Sold-Out Silkscreen Edition
Some titles explain a painting. An Imperfect Past does something cleverer: it tells you that there is a story, and that it is not a tidy one, and then leaves you to work out the rest.
What the painting shows
We are in a darkened projection room. A beam of light streams out of an old film projector into the blackness, catching the smoke from the woman's cigarette. She sits in a swivel chair in a black halter-neck dress and stockings, legs crossed, turned slightly away. Behind her, half in shadow, a man in a dark suit stands and watches.
What is being shown on the screen we never see. Perhaps it is just a film. Perhaps it is something from the past she would rather forget, being played back in front of her. The projector is a perfect device for a painter so interested in memory, and it gives the picture a cinematic quality that runs through all of Vettriano's best work.
Exhibition history
An Imperfect Past is an oil on canvas, first exhibited in Lovers and Other Strangers, Jack Vettriano's exhibition that ran from 10 June to 8 July 2000, where it was catalogue number three. The book of the same name, Lovers and Other Strangers, collects many of the paintings from that period.
Why this print is rare
The silkscreen edition of An Imperfect Past was published in 2003 and sold out many years ago. The print we hold is number 240 of 275 from that original, now-closed edition.
Silkscreen (or screenprint) editions from the early 2000s are especially prized by Vettriano collectors. Each colour is printed separately through its own screen, which gives a richness and depth of colour that is hard to match, and the editions were never reprinted. When one of these comes up, it is often the only chance for a while. Our guide to limited editions, open editions and Artist's Proofs explains the different formats.
About this edition
Signed limited edition silkscreen, published 2003
Edition of 275, plus 25 Artist's Proofs (sold out at the publisher)
This example: number 240 of 275
Signed and numbered by Jack Vettriano
Printed on 400gsm Velin Arches Blanc paper
Print size 74 x 58cm, mounted 90 x 75cm
Where it works best
This is a large, dark and dramatic print, best on a wall with good, even lighting: a living room, study or dining room. Because of its age and rarity, it is worth framing to conservation standard; see our guide on how to frame a limited edition print.
Buying with confidence
As an official Jack Vettriano stockist, we supply every print with full documentation and fully insured UK delivery, with international delivery available on enquiry.
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