Reckoning with the Graham Sutherland Portrait

Sutherland Portrait Winston Churchill. Sotheby's staff holds a portrait of the former British prime minister Winston Churchill, painted It was Sutherland's practice to prepare detailed sketches, almost completely finished works, often close-ups of the heads of his sitters The 1,000 guineas fee (approximate value of $35,000 in 2015) for the painting was funded by donations from members of the House of Commons and House of Lords, and was presented to Churchill by both Houses of Parliament at a public ceremony in Westminster Hall on his 80th birthday on 30.

At the birthday celebrations at Westminster Hall in November 1954, Churchill was presented with a portrait by Graham Sutherland, commissioned by past and present members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords He suggested posing in his Garter robes, but the Gift Committee instructions precluded that

KDS Photo, National Portrait Gallery London, pencil drawing by Graham Sutherland, "Sir Winston

It was Sutherland's custom to prepare detailed, almost independent 'finished' works, close-up studies of the heads of his sitters. It portrayed the PM hunched with age and dark in mood. This surviving painting is rich in historical and artistic significance and now comes.

Sir Winston Churchill, by Graham Sutherland (1955, Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton). Sir Winston Churchill speaking in Westminster Hall, on his 80th birthday; in the background is the oil portrait of Sir Winston by Graham Sutherland (30 November 1954) When Rudi expressed his distress over the destruction of the Churchill portrait, Sutherland said that, quite apart from the vandalism of the act, it was a viola­tion of an agreement that the portrait, after the death of Sir Winston and Lady Churchill, should be returned to Parlia­ment.

Graham sutherland portrait of Churchill Sand Painting, Painting Photos, Portrait Painting. It was Sutherland's practice to prepare detailed sketches, almost completely finished works, often close-ups of the heads of his sitters He suggested posing in his Garter robes, but the Gift Committee instructions precluded that