Soames, a baroness, went on to marry politician Christopher Soames, who served as Britain's ambassador to France and was the last British governor of Southern Rhodesia - now Zimbabwe. Soames worked alongside her father during the war years, meeting with the famous leaders of the time.Īged just 23, she helped to organize a dinner with US president Harry Truman and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin at the Potsdam Conference in 1945. The auction raised a total of 15.4 million pounds, Sotheby's said. Other items sold were a silver water jug inscribed "Egypt 1942, To Winston from his colleagues from the War Cabinet" for 278,500 pounds, and a cigar humidor for 21,250 pounds which could have belonged either to Churchill or his daughter, who also enjoyed a puff. The 255-lot sale entitled "Daughter of History" included a battered red leather briefcase used by Churchill when he was Secretary of State for the Colonies between 19, which sold for 158,500 pounds. The auctioneers called it "a moving celebration both of Mary Soames and of her father's central place in 20th century history".Īrt historian David Coombs said it was "a sublime group of some of the best of Churchill's work and his most important subjects". Sotheby's said it was "the most important and personal group of his paintings ever to come to the market". The paintings provide a rare insight into the World War II prime minister's family life and the talent that his daughter said had helped him escape the rough and tumble of political life. "The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell", showing the garden pond where the statesman used to feed fish whose descendants still swim there today, sold for 1.8 million pounds ($2.8 million, 2.2 million euros), a record for a Churchill painting. The works in the Sotheby's auction came from the personal collection of his daughter and close confidante Mary Soames who passed away earlier this year. The 15 paintings included views from his holidays in France as well as the interiors of his home in Chartwell near London and Blenheim Palace, where the cigar-chomping aristocrat was born. Churchill famously hated Sutherland’s portrait and his wife destroyed it after his death on Januin London, United Kingdom.By Naharnet Newsdesk 18 December 2014, 08:44Ī collection of paintings by Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill was auctioned off on Wednesday in the biggest ever sale of artwork by the statesman and accomplished painter. He notably had his portrait painted by the British artist Graham Sutherland in 1954 to commemorate his 80th birthday. He went on to oversee the Allied victory over Adolf Hitler’s regime, and continued as the acting Prime Minister after the end of the conflict. Though he spent much of the 1930s out of political office, alarmed by threat of Nazi Germany Churchill was avid to replace the sitting Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. After returning to England, he spent the years leading to World War I in the British government before once again joining the military. But the principle is the same.” Born on Novemin Woodstock, United Kingdom, he joined the British Army as a young man and saw action while acting as war correspondent in British India, the Anglo-Sudan War, and the Second Boer War. “It is, if anything, more exciting than fighting it successfully. “Painting a picture is like fighting a battle and trying to paint a picture is, I suppose, like trying to fight a battle,” he once said. His painting technique can be attributed to his admiration of Édouard Manet, Claude Monet, and Paul Cézanne. As an amateur painter, Churchill produced many light-filled depictions of landscapes all over the world. Winston Churchill was British statesman that served as the British Prime Minister during World War II.
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