{"product_id":"still-life-with-aubergines-and-red-peppers-on-a-silver-tray-by-winston-churchill","title":"Still Life with Aubergines and Red Peppers on a Silver Tray by Winston Churchill","description":"Sir Winston Churchill\u003cbr\u003e 1874-1965 | British \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eStill Life with Aubergines and Red Peppers on a Silver Tray\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed \"WSC\" (lower right)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on canvas \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Widely considered the greatest Briton of all time, Sir Winston Churchill also pursued the art of painting for more than 40 years. This exceptional painting, \u003cem\u003eStill Life with Aubergines and Red Peppers on a Silver Tray\u003c\/em\u003e, displays the legendary statesman's artistic gift and offers an intimate glimpse into his private creative life. It is not only far larger than most works by Churchill, but it also importantly bears his signature, unlike a majority of his celebrated works. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painted between 1934 and 1935 during Churchill's time at his beloved country home, Chartwell, this oil painting demonstrates Churchill's mastery of bold color. His attentive brushwork captures the vivid reds and purples of the peppers and aubergines, which he expertly contrasts with the sharpness of the polished silver and the soft folds of the draped tablecloth. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The classic subject of this painting was influenced by Churchill's friend and mentor, the artist Sir William Nicholson, who often stayed at Chartwell in the 1930s. Nicholson’s impact is evident in the composition and brushwork and this rare painting by Churchill is similar to examples by Nicholson in the Tate collection. Additionally, the painting’s subject matter closely mirrors a work by the celebrated N.C. Wyeth, which is now housed in the Brandywine Museum of Art. Churchill was an admirer of Wyeth’s work, and even arranged to have Wyeth’s watercolors displayed in his hotel room during a visit to Boston.   \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As with most of Churchill’s masterpieces, this painting was not created for public display but solely for Churchill’s pleasure. It was later given as a token of gratitude to Mr. Alfred Kern, a prominent Swiss banker who owned Villa Choisy in Switzerland. In 1946, Kern hosted Churchill at the villa during the period of his iconic Zurich speech, a seminal call for European unity in the aftermath of World War II. The villa’s tranquil setting on the banks of Lac Léman provided Churchill with a sanctuary during a pivotal moment in history, as he worked to lay the foundations for post-war peace and stability in Europe. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painting was a dominating passion for Churchill in the last half of his life. There is little evidence that he had any artistic training prior to his 40s. In fact, his wife Clementine mentioned at one point that before he began painting, Churchill had hardly visited an art museum, much less created art. Churchill first began painting following a personal and political disaster—the Dardanelles campaign in 1915. He is quoted as telling the painter Sir John Rothenstein: “If it weren’t for painting, I couldn’t live; I couldn’t bear the strain of things.”  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In 1948, Churchill was bestowed the prestigious recognition of Honorary Academician Extraordinary by The Royal Academy of Arts. Churchill painted roughly 500 works, approximately 350 of which are housed in Churchill’s garden studio at Chartwell, with few others ever coming to market. Created by one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, this extraordinary gift to a close confidant provides a rare and intimate glimpse into who the “real” Winston Churchill was.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Circa 1934-35 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Canvas: 24 3\/8” high x 29 1\/2” wide (61.91 x 74.93 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 30 3\/8” high x 35 1\/2” wide x 4\" deep (77.15 x 90.17 x 10.16 cm) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/rau-sfimages.s3.amazonaws.com\/dossier\/Dossier_32-0392.pdf\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eView the Dossier\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Provenance:\u003cbr\u003e Gifted by the artist to Mr. Alfred Kern, 1946\u003cbr\u003e Sale, Sotheby's, London 14th March 1979\u003cbr\u003e Sale, Christie's, London March 1991\u003cbr\u003e Wells Collection\u003cbr\u003e Churchill family member, United Kingdom\u003cbr\u003e M.S. Rau, New Orleans \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature:\u003cbr\u003e David Coombs and M. Churchill, \u003cem\u003eSir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings\u003c\/em\u003e, Dorset, 2011, C510, fig. 510, p. 240, illustrated","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51803561787714,"sku":null,"price":2250000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0982\/5376\/6978\/files\/32-0392_1.png?v=1768102631","url":"https:\/\/www.bullvendors19.com\/products\/still-life-with-aubergines-and-red-peppers-on-a-silver-tray-by-winston-churchill","provider":"Bull Vendors 19","version":"1.0","type":"link"}