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Lot Essay
In 1955 Sir John Rothenstein, then Director of the Tate Gallery, asked Sir Winston Churchill if he would like to offer one of his paintings for their collection. Churchill sent two pictures for Sir John and the Board to choose from. The painting chosen was The Loup River in the Alpes Maritimes. The present work, the second of the two paintings, was stored in the Tate archive and has only recently been re-discovered.
On the Rance, near St Malo was painted circa 1921 at a pivotal point in Churchill's life. Already a celebrity, he had re-entered the government and his climb up the ministerial ladder had been renewed with his appointment as Colonial Secretary with responsibility also for Iraq and Palestine. Travel was a necessary part of his life, but he was never far from his brushes and paint and the paintings are a visual record, a diary, of his many destinations.
He had also been approached by The Strand Magazine to write an article about his painting. Although initially having reservations about reproducing his own pictures in the prestigious title, Churchill went ahead and the article, entitled Painting as a pastime, was published in the December 1921 and January 1922 issues featuring 19 of his paintings, including the present work. The text was reproduced and published many times and was included in The Hundred Best English Essays selected by the Earl of Birkenhead in 1929.
Revealing him to be essentially humble in his approach to painting his words convey his enthusiasm and conviction, 'I do not submit these sketches to public gaze because I am under any illusion about their merit. They are the productions of a weekend and holiday amateur who during the last few years has found a new pleasure and who wishes to tell others of his luck ... I should be proud if these sketches, induced others to have tried the experiment which I have tried, and if some at least were to find themselves dowered with an absorbing new amusement delightful to themselves, and at any rate not violently harmful to man or beast' (Strand Magazine, December 1921 and January 1922).
On the Rance, near St Malo was painted circa 1921 at a pivotal point in Churchill's life. Already a celebrity, he had re-entered the government and his climb up the ministerial ladder had been renewed with his appointment as Colonial Secretary with responsibility also for Iraq and Palestine. Travel was a necessary part of his life, but he was never far from his brushes and paint and the paintings are a visual record, a diary, of his many destinations.
He had also been approached by The Strand Magazine to write an article about his painting. Although initially having reservations about reproducing his own pictures in the prestigious title, Churchill went ahead and the article, entitled Painting as a pastime, was published in the December 1921 and January 1922 issues featuring 19 of his paintings, including the present work. The text was reproduced and published many times and was included in The Hundred Best English Essays selected by the Earl of Birkenhead in 1929.
Revealing him to be essentially humble in his approach to painting his words convey his enthusiasm and conviction, 'I do not submit these sketches to public gaze because I am under any illusion about their merit. They are the productions of a weekend and holiday amateur who during the last few years has found a new pleasure and who wishes to tell others of his luck ... I should be proud if these sketches, induced others to have tried the experiment which I have tried, and if some at least were to find themselves dowered with an absorbing new amusement delightful to themselves, and at any rate not violently harmful to man or beast' (Strand Magazine, December 1921 and January 1922).