WINSTON CHURCHILL’S SECRET PASSION…
…Painting at Chartwell
Step inside Churchill’s painting studio at Chartwell
Who knew that one of Britain’s greatest wartime leaders had a softer,more artistic side? I visited Chartwell in Kent recently, Churchill’s beloved home. I stepped into his painting studio and discovered a whole new side to the extraordinary man.
Discovering Winston Churchill’s hidden talent for painting
I learned Churchill only took up painting in his 40s, after a political setback left him searching for a way to lift his spirits. He found solace in oils, calling painting his “joy ride in a tumultuous world.” And wow - what a collection he left behind! The studio is filled with his work, colourful canvases adoring the walls of the studio, capturing sun-drenched landscapes from his travels around the world. From the French Riviera to Marrakech. Influenced by the impressionist style, his paintings reveal a keen eye for colour and light. Like every artist I’m also interested in the tools and materials he would have used along with the paraphernalia of the artist’s studio. One of my favourite discoveries was his old cigar humidor, repurposed as a paint cabinet! The story goes that the Cuban cigars were sent as a gift but had to be destroyed in case of poisoning or being otherwise tampered with. So, what else do you do with an empty cigar cupboard? A touch of Churchillian ingenuity right there.
If you haven’t been, Chartwell is an absolute must-visit - thank you, National Trust! The house, the gardens, and of course, the studio, it’s all a window into the private world of a man who carried the weight of a nation but found peace with a paintbrush.
Winston Churchill, artist. Famous artists who started late!
