✓ Certificate of Authenticity included  ·  ✓ Fully insured UK delivery  ·  International delivery on enquiry
About the painting
Bird on the Wire takes its title from Leonard Cohen's celebrated song, with its themes of freedom, longing and imperfect love. Vettriano often borrowed titles from songs he admired, and they add a layer of meaning to his paintings, inviting the viewer to bring the music's mood to the image.
At 97 x 79 cm, this is one of the largest prints in our collection, and it has the presence of a statement piece. It suits a large living room wall or the main wall of a hallway or stairwell.
Read the story behind Bird On The Wire on our blog: Bird On The Wire by Jack Vettriano.
About this edition
Bird on the Wire was published in 2003 as a limited edition silkscreen of 275 prints plus 30 Artist's Proofs, each signed and numbered by Jack Vettriano and supplied with a certificate of authenticity. It is printed on 400gsm Velin Arches Blanc, a heavyweight French mould-made paper highly regarded by printmakers. The overall size is 97 x 79 cm (38 x 31 inches).
Edition details
400gsm Velin Arches Blanc
Signed and numbered by the artist
Edition size: 275 + 30 Artist’s Proofs
Limited Edition Silkscreen Print, published 2003
Overall size: 97 x 79 cm (38 x 31 in)
Before you buy
Not sure where to start? Our buying guide walks through the essentials, our certificate of authenticity guide covers what comes with a genuine print, and our investment guide looks at Vettriano's market track record.
Framing, display and care
This is a silkscreen print, also known as a serigraph. Rather than being printed in a single pass, a silkscreen is built up one colour at a time, with each colour pushed through its own fine mesh screen by hand. The result is a layered, slightly raised surface with flat, intense areas of colour that a giclée cannot quite reproduce, which is why many collectors seek out Vettriano's silkscreen editions in particular. To look after it, use an acid-free mount and UV-filtering glass, keep it out of direct sunlight, and hang it on a dry wall away from radiators and steamy rooms. Handle it by the edges, and keep it flat if it has to be stored before framing.
Our promise
Authenticity matters more than anything when you buy a limited edition, which is why every print we supply comes with a certificate of authenticity and is sent with fully insured UK delivery. International delivery is available on enquiry. As an official stockist we can tell you exactly what you are buying, and we are glad to talk through edition details, framing or delivery before you commit.
About Jack Vettriano
Jack Vettriano was born in St Andrews in 1951 and grew up in Methil, Fife. He left school at sixteen and taught himself to paint, studying the works in Kirkcaldy's gallery after being given a set of watercolours for his twenty-first birthday. When he sent two paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy's annual exhibition in 1988, both sold on the first day, and his career as a professional painter began.
Vettriano's paintings are known for their cinematic atmosphere: men and women in evening dress, beaches under heavy skies, quiet rooms where something has just happened or is about to. He was appointed OBE in 2003, and a major retrospective of his work was held at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow in 2013 and 2014.
More by Jack Vettriano: Birdy · Black On Blonde · Bluebird at Bonneville · Cocktails & Broken Hearts · Contemplation of Betrayal