Peter
Howson
Peter Howson, a pivotal figure in Contemporary Scottish art, is celebrated for his powerful, often unsettling portrayals of the human condition. If you're looking for Peter Howson original prints and editions for sale or would like to sell, request a complimentary valuation and browse our network's most in-demand works.
Peter Howson art for sale
Discover Peter Howson prints for sale, exclusively available through our private network of collectors. Explore signed and unsigned screenprints, lithographs, digital prints, and rare editioned proof prints by era-defining blue chip artists.
Sell Your Art
with Us
with Us
Join Our Network of Collectors. Buy, Sell and Track Demand
Biography
Peter Howson emerged as a prominent figure in the Scottish art scene during the 1980s. Born in London in 1958, Howson moved to Scotland at a young age, where he would later study at the Glasgow School of Art. His early works, characterised by their unflinching depiction of working-class life in Glasgow, quickly established him as an important voice in figurative painting.
Howson's artistic journey has been marked by personal struggles. His time as an official war artist in Bosnia in 1993 led to some of his most haunting and powerful works. Throughout his career, Howson has grappled with addiction and mental health issues, experiences that have informed his art and contributed to its raw, emotive quality.
The artist's distinctive style, combining technical skill with a bold, often confrontational approach to subject matter, has earned him critical acclaim. Howson's work, while rooted in the Scottish working class experience, speaks to universal themes of human suffering, resilience, and redemption.
Howson's artistic career began to flourish in the 1980s when he became associated with the New Glasgow Boys, a group of artists including Steven Campbell, Ken Currie, and Adrian Wiszniewski. This movement marked a revival of figurative painting in Scotland, with Howson's work standing out for its muscular, often brutal depictions of urban life.
In 1993, Howson was appointed as the official British war artist for the Bosnian War. This position resulted in a series of powerful, disturbing works that captured the horrors of conflict. Paintings such as Croatian And Muslim (1994) showcased Howson's ability to convey intense human suffering.
Throughout his career, Howson has been open about his personal struggles, including battles with alcoholism and drug addiction. These experiences have informed his work, contributing to its raw, confessional quality. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Howson's art took on increasingly religious and spiritual themes, reflecting his conversion to Christianity.
Howson's work has been exhibited widely, with notable shows at the Flowers Gallery in London and the City Art Centre in Edinburgh. His paintings are held in prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Tate Gallery in London. In 2009, Howson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to visual arts.
