Oscar Nemon

Dirt has gathered in some of the crevices. Otherwise the work appears in good overall condition. Please telephone the department on 020 7293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Born in Yugoslavia, Oscar Nemon fled to Britain before the Second World War. He first encountered Chuchill in Marrakech in 1951, and while there he secretly made a bust of him. Churchill's wife Clementine adored it, and a series of commissions followed which initiated a fruitful collaboration. Perhaps the most famous example stands in the Members' Lobby of the House of Commons in which Churchill, hands on hips, strides boldly forward. In his unpublished memoir, Nemon recalls Churchill was 'bellicose, challenging and deliberately provocative' and the resulting sculptures became 'not merely a likeness, but a biography of his life'.

Other leading national subjects sculpted by Nemon include Field Marshal Montgomery, Margaret Thatcher, the Queen Mother and the Queen.