First Previous 14 OF 23 NextLast

Winston Churchill

14 of 23 portraits by Graham Sutherland

© National Portrait Gallery, London

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Buy a print Buy a greetings card Make a donation Close

Winston Churchill

by Graham Sutherland
pencil and wash, 1954
22 1/2 in. x 17 3/8 in. (570 mm x 440 mm)
Purchased, 1990
Primary Collection
NPG 6096

Sitterback to top

Artistback to top

  • Graham Vivian Sutherland (1903-1980), Painter. Artist or producer associated with 23 portraits, Sitter in 62 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This drawing is one of a number of studies for Sutherland's lost presentation portrait of Churchill. The squared-up drawing for the final version is the nearest we can now get to the composition, other than through photographs. Sensitive pencil work around the head, and a rub and wash technique, are typical of the artist's working methods.

Linked publicationsback to top

  • Cooper, John, Great Britons: The Great Debate, 2002, p. 133 Read entry

    Lady Churchill described Graham Sutherland as a 'Wow', a family term expressing strong approval. The painter initially felt welcome at Chequers, but he found Churchill's curiosity as the portrait developed disturbing and prevented him from seeing it. Shown the painting on completion, Churchill told Lord Moran, 'I think it is malignant.' After the presentation by the Houses of Parliament, Lady Churchill put it in the attic, and later had it cut up and incinerated. The National Portrait Gallery has two of Sutherland's preparatory oil sketches for the head and a compositional drawing. The transparency form which the painting has been reproduced here has discoloured with age but it is one of the few surviving records of the work.

  • Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 124

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Events of 1954back to top

Current affairs

Roger Bannister runs the four-minute mile. Bannister was the first man to achieve the 'miracle mile', a feat that was thought by some to be impossible, beating his rival, the Australian John Landy, to the record. Bannister went on to a career as a distinguished neurologist.
Food rationing ends in Britain.

Art and science

J.R.R. Tolkien publishes the first two parts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Tolkien was an Oxford professor of Anglo-Saxon language and literature and drew on his scholarly interests in history, language and mythology to create the fictional land of Middle Earth where the books are set.
Williams Golding publishes, Lord of the Flies.

International

The South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) is established in Bangkok. This international defence organisation was established as part of the 'containment' policy of limiting the influence of communism. SEATO was, however, found to be ineffective as the member organisations failed to agree on combined action; it was disbanded in 1977.

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.