Culture by Rosa Maria Lamberti

 

Churchill’s Works of Art on Lake Como

Cari amici, dear friends of Lake Como! È proprio vero – it’s really true:

On Lake Como you can forget all your trouble and sorrow. The beauty of the landscape has a positive effect on our souls and the high mountains provide the necessary distance to all inconveniences that weigh us down. This experience made as well the former British Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill (1874-1965).

Although he had led England successfully through the 2nd World War with great personal effort, he was deselected as prime minister in July 1945.

Holidays in Moltrasio

The prudent old man did just the right thing! He decided to spend a holiday on Lake Como.

Already in the first week of September 1945, he moved into the Villa „Le Rose“ in the small, picturesque village of Moltrasio. His daughter Sarah, his doctor, and some employees traveled with him.

Churchill described the villa “Le Rose” as a small palace. During his stay, the former Premier received some visitors, but most of the time he spent at his easel.

Churchill’s Secret Talent

The very next day after his arrival, his daughter found him painting on the lakeside. Churchill’s doctor, Lord Moran, reported: his patient was so impressed by the views and the scenery of Lake Como that he painted 5 hours without a break.

Churchill himself wrote to his wife Clementine that painting afforded him great pleasure. In this activity he did not think of something else and forgot all his trouble.

Painting means complete distraction for him. He said that nothing occupies the spirit stronger, without exhausting the body.

Lake Como – an Inspiration

For Churchill Lake Como was “a landscape which exudes absolute tranquility. Neither the region than its inhabitants note the terrible things that happen to the world.”

He tried to capture this idyll and the special, positive atmosphere of Lake Como in his paintings. The Artworks of “Mr. Winter”

Two of his Lake Como paintings were exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Churchill signed up under the pseudonym „Mr. Winter „.

Today Winston Churchill paintings are highly coveted by collectors and achieve six figure sums at auctions. The complete works of Churchill includes about 500 paintings.

Maybe you feel the same way, amici. Every time, when I see an artist with his easel on the shore of Lake Como, I think of this grand old statesman.

Tanti saluti e a presto
Rosa Maria Lamberti