Winston Churchill, known for his leadership during World War II, was also a passionate admirer of art. One of his prized possessions was Claude Monet’s painting, Charing Cross Bridge, which captures the smoggy yellow haze over London’s River Thames with the Houses of Parliament in the background. Recently cleaned for an exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery in London, the artwork revealed layers of grime caused by Churchill’s cigar and fireplace smoke.
Monet, a French Impressionist, started the painting around 1899 or 1900 during his visits to London, where he stayed at the Savoy Hotel and painted the river from his window. He signed and dated the work in 1902 but continued to make changes to it. Inspired by the city’s haze, Monet emphasized the yellow reflections and repositioned the Houses of Parliament in a more visible location in the painting.
Churchill received the painting as a gift from American literary agent Emery Reves in 1949. Reves, aware of Churchill’s admiration for Monet, described the artwork as “purest Impressionism, nothing but light and color without any design.” Churchill, who enjoyed painting himself, hung the piece in the drawing room at Chartwell, his home in Kent, and often admired it with a cigar in hand.
The ownership of the Monet was a well-kept secret for many years until after Churchill’s death in 1965, when the National Trust acquired the painting along with the family home and its contents. The restored version is currently on display at the Courtauld exhibition, showcasing around 20 of Monet’s London paintings. This exhibition marks the first time Charing Cross Bridge has left Chartwell since Churchill first displayed it in his home.
The exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery will be open to the public until January 19, offering visitors a unique opportunity to view Monet’s London-inspired artwork. The restored painting serves as a testament to Churchill’s love for art and his appreciation for the beauty of London captured by Monet’s brushstrokes.
