In 1954, painter Graham Sutherland (1903-1980) was specially commissioned by the House of Commons and the House of Lords to paint a portrait of Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
It was unveiled on Churchill's 80th birthday in a solemn official ceremony in front of both houses of Parliament.
Churchill looked at the painting for a long while, then "remarked on the unprecedented honour shown to him and described the painting as 'a remarkable example of modern art,' combining 'force and candour.'"
His backhanded compliment brought forth peals of laughter from the assembled dignitaries.
Fortunately the moment was captured by the BBC.(Link to YouTube)
Churchill brought the gift home, but he continued to despise it: "He described it to Lord Moran as 'filthy' and 'malignant,' and complained that it made him 'look like a down-and-out drunk who has been picked out of the gutter in the Strand."
Meanwhile, "Sutherland maintained that he painted the Prime Minister as he truly saw him and that the depiction was an honest and realistic representation."
The Churchills never showed the painting to anyone, and wouldn't bring it out for exhibitions. Later, it emerged that they had destroyed the work:
"In 1978, it was reported that Lady Spencer-Churchill had destroyed the painting within a year of its arrival at Chartwell, by breaking it into pieces and having them incinerated to prevent it from causing further distress to her husband. Lady Spencer-Churchill had previously destroyed earlier portraits of her husband that she disliked, including sketches by Walter Sickert and Paul Maze. She had hidden the Sutherland portrait in the cellars at Chartwell and employed her private secretary Grace Hamblin and Hamblin's brother to remove it in the middle of the night and burn it in a remote location. Many commentators were aghast at the destruction of the work of art, and Sutherland condemned it as an act of vandalism; others upheld the Churchills' right to dispose of their property as they saw fit."
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Wikipedia on Graham Sutherland's Portrait of Churchill
3 comments:
"Later, it emerged that they had destroyed the work"
PERFECT !
You disrespect me, I disrespect you.
Now the most important detail: Who commissioned this artist to do the portrait?
The aim was to disrespect the Prime Minister.
I am sure.
Paulo - Rio
"Later, it emerged that they had destroyed the work"
PERFECT!
You disrespect me, I disrespect you.
Now the most important detail: Who commissioned this artist to do the portrait?
The aim was to disrespect the Prime Minister.
I am sure.
Paulo - Rio
Pathe's full movie :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkQdFSQOFmU
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