Sir Winston Churchill, K.G., O.M., F.R.S., HON. R.A.

The Studio, Chartwell
Diana Churchill
Baron Duncan-Sandys, London, from whom acquired by the present owner in 1978

David Coombs and Minnie Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill's Life Through His Paintings, Chaucer Press, London, 2003, cat. no.C43, illustrated fig.95.

The canvasboard appears sound. There is some slight rubbing around the edges of the canvasboard, thought to be as a result of frame abrasion, and only visible when viewed unframed. There are several light vertical surface scuffs towards the lower horizontal edge, and one further small scuff towards the lower right corner. There are two very small flecks of loss in the upper right corner. There is some very light surface dirt across the work, and two spots of gold leaf at the right vertical edge, thought to have been acquired during framing, and only visible when viewed unframed. Subject to the above, the work appears to be in very good overall condition. Ultraviolet light reveals no obvious signs of fluorescence or retouching. The work is housed in a painted wood and plaster frame, with a linen slip. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 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."

We are grateful to David Coombs for his kind assistance with the cataloguing of the present work.

As an artist, Churchill is best known for his landscapes: sweeping depictions of the weald of Kent, sun dappled villas in the South of France, or exotic vistas of Egypt or Morocco. Rarely does the figure creep into his landscapes; rarely did he paint portraits of friends and family, and rarer still does the great man himself appear in the composition. Of his vast output of over 500 canvases, the present work is one of only a handful of self-portraits, and is particularly unique in that it shows Churchill in the act of painting, his beloved pastime which had been his respite since picking up a brush in 1915.

The wonderfully flowered loggia seen in the present work is a spot at Chartwell that Churchill clearly cherished, also appearing in his Still Life: Randolph Churchill under the Pergola at Chartwell. Chartwell, the much-modified Elizabethan manor house near Westerham in Kent, was not only the family home and a beautiful venue for entertaining guests, but also Churchill’s beloved retreat and a constant source of inspiration until his death in 1965. Initially enchanted by the magnificent views over the Kentish Weald, Churchill and his wife Clementine bought the house in 1922 – a purchase made possible by an unexpected inheritance from a distant cousin – but it was not until the spring of 1924, after some substantial refurbishment work, that they were finally able to move in.

For Winston, Chartwell provided the perfect space where he could write and work while not in London, but the home was also (and perhaps most importantly), a place of tranquillity to enjoy family life and to paint. The visitor’s book at Chartwell documents the frequency with which the house was filled with various members of the extended family, friends, and Winston’s colleagues. Conveniently located within a short drive or train ride from London, Winston often brought associates from Westminster down for lunch, over which business, politics and current affairs would be passionately discussed. Apart from Churchill’s political allies, the house also counted notables such as T.E. Lawrence (who would roar in on his motorbike), Charlie Chaplin, and a range of artists including William Nicholson, Paul Maze, and Walter Sickert amongst the frequent guests.

It was not just the house and the views over the distant woods and valleys that Churchill prized, but also the wonderful Arts and Crafts inspired garden, with its lake and fishponds, rose, kitchen and water gardens. Much of the work on the grounds he undertook himself, finding the act of bricklaying to be particularly engaging and a wonderfully therapeutic task. For Winston, days at Chartwell, if not occupied by work or a building task about the estate, were often filled with painting. When he was not painting directly in front of his subject, he worked in his studio, an outbuilding which had been converted for this purpose in the 1930s.