A portrait by the artist Peter Howson as a young man

THE MUSCULAR figures and strained faces in painter Peter Howson's works have ranged from Madonna and pummelling boxers to Scotland's patron saint, St Andrew.

• The sketch of a former teacher is thought to be the first work Howson sold – for the princely sum of 1p

But the first picture Mr Howson ever sold – for a penny – featured his teacher, William Ness, it emerged yesterday. The 12-year-old artist sketched him at secondary school in Ayrshire.

The 1970 drawing is being sold by a schoolmate of the painter, it is believed, who snapped up the first evidence of Howson's early talent. The seller has asked to remain anonymous.

It is expected to fetch at least 1,000 at McTear's auction house in Glasgow when it goes under the hammer next week. Even after four decades, it appeared a pretty good return on the investment.

The drawing, entitled Mr Ness, English Teacher at Prestwick Academy, is signed simply "PH".

Mr Ness still lives in Ayr but could not be contacted for comment.

Mr Howson, who suffers from autism and recently put his business affairs in the hands of a legal guardian, did not return calls seeking comment. But he has confirmed the authenticity of the picture, McTear's said, and was "highly amused" to see it again after 40 years.

Born in London in 1958, Mr Howson moved to Scotland aged four, when his father moved to a job with Air Canada.

He began painting at school when his grandmother gave him a set of paints, drawing family portraits. He went to the Glasgow School of Art at the age of 17.

The drawing is one of 80 Howson works featuring in the McTear's sale of contemporary Scottish work. They include more than 30 drawings and a small number of etchings put up for sale by Mr Howson himself.

The rest are resales of earlier works. The huge number may underline concern that Mr Howson, hugely productive but with a history of struggles with drugs and mental illness, has lost control of his sales in recent years, losing money as a result. Works have been sold on an ad hoc basis through various friends and associates, or directly to buyers by Mr Howson himself.

Commenting on the sale, Magda Ketterer from McTear's said: "Mr Ness is clearly a very special drawing as it represents what we believe to be the earliest known work by Peter Howson.

"The work provides a fascinating insight into the young artist and is one of the very few works by Howson which is clearly humorous. It's a cheeky image and you can't say that about many of his paintings."

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