As a focal figure of the "New Glasgow Boys," and one of his generation's leading figurative painters, Howson has derived inspiration from his personal experiences - from the inner-city streets of Glasgow, to time spent in combat zones as a former official British war artist (Bosnia, 1993). His paintings have tackled the horrors of modern day atrocities and the depths of the human psyche, with an unflinching gaze. This celebrated study by Robert Heller looks closely at all the events that have shaped Howson's work and made him one of the most celebrated artists to come from Scotland.