Leo Martínez
Winston Churchill was a British politician, army officer, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. Aside from his political career, Churchill was also known for his artistic pursuits as an amateur painter. He took up painting in 1915 during a hiatus from military service and produced over 500 paintings throughout his lifetime. While he often referred to it as a hobby, Churchill's artwork gained recognition and he exhibited his paintings in various shows and galleries. One of his notable portraits, the Graham Sutherland portrait, was the subject of controversy, with Churchill expressing his dislike for it. This raises the question: Did Winston Churchill ever have an official painting done of himself, and if so, what was the story behind it?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for taking up painting | Churchill took up painting as a hobby after his political career took a hit following the disastrous military campaign at Gallipoli, Turkey, in 1915. |
| Number of paintings | Over 500 canvasses |
| Subjects | Landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, portraits, and buildings |
| Painting locations | Egypt, Italy, Morocco, the south of France, Kent, the Western Front, and Flanders |
| Painting style | Churchill was largely self-taught and preferred oils for their bright colours and flexibility. |
| Exhibitions | The Galerie Druet in Paris in 1921, the Royal Academy in 1959, and the Nelson Gallery of Art in Kansas City in 1957 |
| Awards and recognition | Honorary Academician Extraordinary in 1949, Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 |
| Official painting | There is no mention of an official painting of Winston Churchill, but there is a famous "infamous" portrait by Graham Sutherland that Churchill loathed. |
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What You'll Learn
Winston Churchill's introduction to painting
Winston Churchill was 40 years old when he first took up painting. At the time, his political career had hit a roadblock after the World War I attack he ordered on Gallipoli, Turkey, went awry. He was demoted from his role as First Lord of the Admiralty in May 1915 and resigned from his government post. He then joined the army as an officer and also became anxious about the direction his career would take.
It was during a family holiday in June 1915 that Churchill was introduced to painting. His sister-in-law, Lady Gwendoline ("Goonie") Churchill, an amateur artist, was painting a watercolour when she invited Churchill to try it for himself. He was immediately captivated and painting became a lifelong hobby. Churchill wrote about the experience in his book, 'Painting as a Pastime':
> "Painting came to my rescue in a most trying time...I seized the largest brush and fell upon my victim with Berserk fury. I have never felt any awe of a canvas since."
Churchill took painting materials with him to the Western Front when he went on active military service in 1915–1916, painting the towns and landscapes near Ploegsteert Wood in Flanders. He continued to paint after he returned to the government in 1917 as Minister of Munitions. He received direction and encouragement from several professional artists, including his London neighbour Sir John Lavery, and later also Walter Sickert, William Nicholson and Paul Maze.
Churchill was largely self-taught, believing that formal art lessons were a young person's game. He was, however, keen to improve his technique and took cues from leading artists. He admired the work of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters like Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse, and even travelled to the same locations where they had painted years before.
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Churchill's paintings as a source of therapy
Winston Churchill was introduced to painting by his sister-in-law, Lady Gwendoline Bertie, in 1915, during a low point in his political career. He had been demoted from his role as First Lord of the Admiralty following the disastrous Gallipoli campaign, for which he was held responsible. He wrote of this period, "The Muse of Painting came to my rescue", and later, "Painting came to my rescue in a most trying time". Painting became a lifelong hobby for Churchill, and he would go on to create over 500 paintings.
Churchill was largely self-taught and believed that the most important thing for an amateur painter like himself was passion. He wrote, "We cannot aspire to masterpiece. We may content ourselves with a joy ride in a paint-box. And for this Audacity is the only ticket." He was, however, keen to improve his technique and took cues from leading artists, including Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters like Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse. He also sought out the same locations that had inspired these artists, travelling to places like Venice, Egypt, and Morocco.
Churchill's paintings provided him with great pleasure and comfort, and he often turned to painting to improve his mood and relieve stress. He wrote about his enjoyment of painting in two articles published in The Strand Magazine in 1921 and 1922, for which he was paid £1,000. He also published a small book, 'Painting as a Pastime', in which he wrote about the delight and respite that painting brought him.
Churchill's works can be seen as a tribute to his spontaneous use of art as therapy. They served as a form of therapy to decompress from the pressures of war, to recover from his election defeat in 1945, and to distract him from stress during his second term as Prime Minister from 1951 to 1955.
In addition to providing therapeutic benefits, Churchill's paintings also helped him to hone his visual acuity, powers of observation, and memory. They provided a creative outlet for his energetic nature and allowed him to channel his energies and moderate his sorrows.
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His painting subjects and genres
Winston Churchill's subjects and genres as a painter were varied. He was introduced to painting by his sister-in-law, Lady Gwendoline Bertie, in 1915, when his political career was at a low ebb. Painting became a lifelong hobby, and he eventually created over 550 paintings. He was largely self-taught and believed that formal art lessons were only for young people. He was keen to improve his technique, however, and took cues from leading artists, including Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters like Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse.
Churchill primarily focused on landscapes and seascapes en plein air. He was fond of oils, for their forgiving, flexible nature and bright colours. He also tried his hand at still lifes and portraits, with varying degrees of success. He painted the grounds of his country home in Kent, called Chartwell, as well as his travels to Egypt, Italy, Morocco, and the south of France, among other locations. His works read as intimate snapshots, illustrating his favourite travel destinations, holidays, and family members.
Churchill's first public exhibition was held at the Galerie Druet in Paris in 1921, under the pseudonym "Charles Morin". Several of his landscape works were sold, at £30 each. He also wrote about his enjoyment of painting in two articles published in The Strand Magazine in 1921 and 1922, Hobbies and Painting as a Pastime, for which he was paid £1,000. He continued to paint whenever possible, even during his time as Prime Minister, claiming to have painted only one picture while serving during the Second World War: a view of Marrakesh and the Atlas Mountains, painted from the balcony of the Villa Taylor.
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Official recognition of his art
Winston Churchill took up painting in 1915, at the suggestion of his sister-in-law, Lady Gwendoline Bertie, also an amateur painter. He was largely self-taught and adamant that formal art lessons were for young people. He once wrote: "We cannot aspire to masterpiece. We may content ourselves with a joy ride in a paint-box. And for this Audacity is the only ticket."
Churchill's works were exhibited at the Galerie Druet in Paris in 1921, under the pseudonym "Charles Morin". Several of his landscape works were sold, at £30 each. In 1922, he constructed a studio at his home in Chartwell, Kent, where he painted frequently.
In 1947, Churchill began to exhibit at the Royal Academy's summer exhibition and, in the following year, he was elected an Honorary Academician Extraordinary—an unprecedented honour for an amateur artist. In 1957, his first major exhibition, Winston Churchill: The Painter, was held at the Nelson Gallery of Art in Kansas City. It broke museum attendance records nationwide.
In 1959, the Royal Academy staged an exhibition of Churchill's paintings, attracting over 3,000 visitors on the opening day—a record for a one-man show. In 1961, Parliament and the nation presented Churchill with a cheque for £140,000 and a book signed by almost every member of both houses. This occasion was marked by Graham Sutherland's now "infamous" portrait of Churchill, which the subject loathed.
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The impact of Churchill's art on his legacy
Winston Churchill is widely considered one of the most significant figures of the 20th century, primarily known for his role as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Beyond his political career, Churchill's artistic endeavours have also left an impact on his legacy.
Churchill took up painting at the age of 40, during a low point in his political career following the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. He discovered this new hobby through his sister-in-law, Lady Gwendoline Bertie, also a painter, who encouraged him to try watercolour painting. Churchill soon developed a preference for oils, drawn to their bright colours and flexibility. Over the next five decades, he created over 500 paintings, primarily focusing on landscapes and seascapes, with occasional still lifes and portraits.
Churchill's artwork provided a respite from the stress of his career, and he often painted outdoors, capturing the grounds of his country home, Chartwell, in Kent. He also painted during his travels to Egypt, Italy, Morocco, and the south of France, among other locations. His paintings offered intimate snapshots of his life, from favoured travel destinations to family members.
Churchill's passion for painting is evident in his prolific output and his writings on the subject. In his essays, published as "Painting as a Pastime," he reflected on the delight and respite that painting brought him. He also acknowledged the role of art in honing his visual acuity, powers of observation, and memory.
Churchill's artistic pursuits have contributed to a multifaceted legacy. While primarily known for his political achievements, his artwork provides a glimpse into his personal life and interests. His dedication to his craft, even as a self-taught amateur, earned him recognition within artistic circles. Sir Oswald Birley, a renowned painter, famously remarked that if Churchill had devoted himself to art as he did to politics, he would have become the world's greatest painter.
In conclusion, Winston Churchill's art has left an indelible mark on his legacy. It reveals a man of diverse talents and interests, who found solace and joy in creative expression. Churchill's artwork continues to be exhibited and celebrated, adding a unique dimension to his enduring legacy.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Graham Sutherland painted an "infamous" official portrait of Winston Churchill in 1954. Churchill loathed the portrait, writing to Lord Moran that he thought it was "malignant".
Yes, Churchill's Portrait of Sir John Lavery in his Studio was exhibited at the annual exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in London in 1919.
Yes, Churchill was a soldier, journalist, historian, biographer, bricklayer, polo player, and racehorse owner.
Across five decades, Churchill completed over 500 paintings, with some sources claiming he completed over 550.
Yes, Churchill sold several of his paintings, including "Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque", which he later gifted to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
