National Galleries of Scotland

William McIlvanney was one of a group of writers who emerged in the 1970s to give urban Scotland, particularly Glasgow, a working-class voice in contemporary literature. His early novels, which include `Remedy Is None? (1967), `Docherty? (1975) and `The Big Man? (1985), have a gritty edge and distinctively tough male heroes who are trapped by their class and surroundings. With `Laidlaw? (1977), the first of a series of novels featuring Glasgow policeman Jack Laidlaw, he brought his masculine style into the realm of crime fiction and laid the foundations for the `Tartan Noir? genre. Gillander?s, who is a great admirer of McIlvanney?s work, has created a beautifully composed image which shows the author in Clarks bar, one of his favourite pubs.