Churchill’s painting of his favorite whisky sold for over 1 million euros

19.11.2020

The painting depicting Churchill’s favorite bottle of whiskey was sold for £983,000 by Sotheby’s on Tuesday.

Via AFP

The auction house announced in a statement that the Winston Churchill painting was sold for millions. The painting was initially valued at £250,000, and ended up selling for £983,000.

The still life painting represents a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label, a drink that Churchill loved. We also see a bottle of eau-de-vie, a jug and two glasses. It should be noted that the painting was painted by Churchill himself in the Chartwell family mansion in the 1930s.

Churchill, the preserved British Prime Minister, gave the painting to William Averell Harriman. He was the special envoy of U.S. President Roosevelt to Europe in the 1940s. Harriman had a relationship with Churchill’s daughter-in-law, Pamela, who was the wife of his son Randolph. The two lovers Harriman, and Pamela, were finally married in 1971. The painting, passed into the hands of American collectors, now deceased, after Pamela Harriman’s death in 1997.

Winston Churchill, passionate painter

Churchill made more than 500 paintings. He mainly made landscape drawings inspired by the places he saw around the world. But it was not until he retired from government that he became an enthusiastic painter around 1955. Although his passion began earlier between 1895 and 1899 when he was resting during the battles when he sailed to Cuba, India and Sudan.

Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.