THE First Minister's Christmas card this year features a Peter Howson work which is challenging and demanding, rather than festive and cheery.

Howson has depicted Artaban, the legendary fourth wise man who did not reach the Nativity because he was distracted by dealing with the poor.

The painting will be sold at auction in the New Year with the proceeds shared between the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (Chas), CLIC Sargent, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (Sciaf) and Combat Stress.

Howson, who has spoken of his mental health issues following his time as a war artist, chose Combat Stress as his designated charity when the original artwork is sold in the New Year.

Alex Salmond's Christmas card has raised £148,000 for charities in Scotland through sales of original works and prints since it was launched in 2007.

Artaban is a "hugely appropriate" work for his card, Mr Salmond said.

The legend of Artaban, or the fourth wise man, is based on a novel by Henry van Dyke. It tells the tale of a Persian scholar who, delayed by helping the vulnerable, follows the star to Bethlehem but arrives just too late to herald the birth of the Christ child. Thirty years on in Jerusalem, at Passover, Artaban is still searching for Jesus.

"The story reminds us that hope, faith and self-sacrifice are at the centre of the order of things," said the First Minister. "I am very grateful to Peter for donating this outstanding painting. As you might expect it's a typically powerful image, unmistakably Howson, and I am sure it will go on to make a significant figure for these four very good causes at auction next year."

Andrew Cameron, chief executive of Combat Stress, said: "For most of us the realities of war are far removed from our everyday lives.

"It means a great deal for a war artist like Peter Howson, who served in the Royal Highland Fusiliers and bore witness to the horrors of war in Bosnia and Kosovo, to support us.

"Peter Howson and the First Minister are signalling, in a very personal way, the importance of specialist treatment for veterans suffering psychological wounds from their service."

Each charity will be given a series of limited edition prints of the work to help with their fundraising efforts.

Previous artists involved in the Christmas card initiative are John Lowrie Morrison, the late John Bellany, Gerard Burns, Jack Vettriano, Alasdair Gray and Dame Elizabeth Blackadder.