WHAT? Winston Churchill: The Painter

WHERE? The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN

WHEN? Now until 29th November

WHY GO? For art as escapism. When he was not pouring over intricate world war maps, Churchill was pouring over his easel. The great British statesman needed something calming to de-stress and unwind, and painting was his passion. This charismatic figure relished the solitude of spending his spare time away from public pressures with a paintbrush and cigar always to hand. The first substantial exhibition devoted to Churchill’s art is curated in chronological order and reveals a little of his character as he started painting tentatively as a hobby and ended up painting boldly creating some 500 canvases in all. He painted wartime scenes, pastoral views and images of the many places he visited on short breaks around the Med and in Morocco, a country he particularly loved. Churchill often gifted his paintings to friends and mentors and as diplomatic gifts. From the luminous light of Marrakech to the harbour at Cannes and primarily, his beloved Chartwell, this personal exhibition of Churchill’s oils provides a fascinating insight into how much joy he derived from painting. “Happy are the painters, for they shall not be lonely”, was his reasoning during dark times. Churchill exhibited in the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in 1947 under the pseudonym David Winter and continued to exhibit annually until 1951. If you happen to find a David Winter in your attic, you will have found an original Churchill painting!

IN THE KNOW? Churchill and the Wallace Collection have a long association. The museum hosted an Artists Aid Russia exhibition in 1942 supporting his wife Clementine’s Red Cross Aid to Russia Fund. Focusing on Anglo-Soviet relationships and revisiting how the gallery prepared to evacuate artworks, The Wallace Collection at War is free to view and displayed in the Housekeepers Room, on until 25th October.