A self-portrait by artist John Byrne and an oil painting of his former lover, actress Tilda Swinton, fetched more than £13,000 at auction in Edinburgh yesterday.
The couple has a home in Nairn though they are now in separate relationships.
Byrne, 74, found fame writing plays and television dramas such as Tutti Frutti and Your Cheatin’ Heart, completed both paintings in 1990.
The paintings went under the hammer at Lyon and Turnbull’s sale of contemporary and post-war art, where they were sold to anonymous bidders for a combined £13,125.
The self-portrait fetched £6875 – more than twice its estimate.
The larger portrait of Hollywood actress Ms Swinton, who still owns a Highland home, made slightly less at £6250.
Charlotte Riordan, Lyon and Turnbull paintings specialist, said: “John Byrne is renowned for painting famous people, including Robbie Coltrane and Billy Connolly, but this painting of Tilda Swinton is even more special as it was completed the year they got together.
“There was considerable interest.”
Portrait of Tilda Swinton fetches more than £13,000
