Winston Churchill

Sitterback to top

• Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965), Prime Minister. Sitter in 147 portraits.

Artistback to top

• Graham Vivian Sutherland (1903-1980), Painter. Artist associated with 23 portraits, Sitter in 61 portraits.

This portraitback to top

One of a number of studies for a portrait commissioned by past and present members of the House of Commons and House of Lords to mark Churchill's eightieth birthday. It was Sutherland's custom to prepare detailed, almost independent 'finished' works, close-up studies of the heads of his sitters. For Churchill there are many, as Sutherland grappled with the problems of describing one of the legendary hero-figures of the twentieth century. Churchill had asked at the outset "How are you going to paint me? As a cherub, or the Bulldog?", to which Sutherland replied "it entirely depends on what you show me, sir". As Sutherland later told Lord Beaverbrook, "Consistently… he showed me the Bull Dog". The final controversial portrait, which Churchill said made him look 'half-witted', was later destroyed by his wife and only preparatory sketches survive.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Cooper, John, Great Britons: The Great Debate, 2002, p. 136
• Parris, Matthew, Heroes and Villains: Scarfe at the National Portrait Gallery, 2003 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 30 September 2003 to 4 April 2004), p. 54
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 124

Subject/Themeback to top

• On display at the Gallery