Auction of a canvas painted by Churchill

A painting by Winston Churchill depicting a bottle of the British statesman's favorite whiskey will go on sale Tuesday at Sotheby's.

Share November 9, 2020 12:05 pm Share Auction of a canvas painted by Churchill Agence France-Presse LONDON – A canvas by Winston Churchill depicting a bottle of the British statesman's favorite whiskey will be put up for sale on Tuesday by Sotheby's, a spokeswoman for the auction house said on Monday.

The still life, which features a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label, as well as a bottle of brandy, a pitcher and two glasses, symbolizes Churchill's love for this drink, which he often drank. upon rising in the morning with sparkling water, according to Sotheby's.

Offers can be made online from Tuesday, with a high estimate of £ 250,000 ($ 429,000).

The painting was painted by Winston Churchill, who loved to indulge in painting, at Chartwell's family mansion in the 1930s.

Conservative Prime Minister during World War II, he had given it to American businessman William Averell Harriman, who was President Roosevelt's special envoy to Europe in the 1940s. Harriman was notably photographed in 1942 in Moscow with Churchill and Joseph Stalin.

It is not known whether the British war hero, who used to give his paintings to friends, was aware of the affair his daughter-in-law Pamela, wife of his son Randolph, had with Mr Harriman at the time, pointed out Monday The Times newspaper.

The two lovers married in 1971 and the painting was sold to American collectors, now deceased, after the death of Pamela Harriman in 1997.

A painting by Winston Churchill, The Goldfish Pond at Chartwell , sold for a record 1.8 million pounds ($ 3M) at Sotheby's in 2014.