Landmark Howson Masterpiece – to sell on 12th May at McTear's

In 1986 Peter Howson worked from a studio in the Gallowgate area of Glasgow, close to a hostel for the homeless. The characters he encountered captured his imagination and he produced a famous series of works (The Noble Dosser, The Heroic Dosser and The Leaning Dosser) which also spawned a series of woodcuts or screenprints. These portrayals of Glasgow's down-and-outs and working class macho culture amidst the industrialised wasteland of Clydeside gained him a vast amount of public and media attention both in the UK and internationally.


The Noble Dosser was a landmark painting for Howson and remains one of his most memorable and best known images largely through the woodcut version, one of which is features in The Tate (London) collection. However, the original painting has not been publicly exhibited for 25 years and it has never before been offered at auction. The Noble Dosser was acquired in 1986 and has remained in the same private Glasgow collection ever since.



McTear’s has sold several highly significant Peter Howson works over the last few years including “Blood Brothers”, “Faith, Hope & Charity”, “Madonna and Guy” and “The Sisters of Mercy” but there’s little doubt that The Noble Dosser is the most important Peter Howson we’ve ever offered.





The Noble Dosser will be included in the auction of Fine, Scottish & Contemporary Pictures on 12 May and the catalogue for the auction will be online here from Friday 29 April.