Portrait of Winston Churchill by Alfred Cooper

Alfred Egerton Cooper
1883-1974 | British

Portrait of Winston Churchill

Initialed and dated "AEC 1948" (lower right)
Pencil and grisaille wash on paper

This well-finished portrait study captures the steely visage of the great British prime minister and wartime leader, Winston Churchill. The work was composed from life by the celebrated British portraitist Alfred Egerton Cooper, one of the few artists Churchill ever agreed to sit for, and purportedly the only one whose portraits he actually liked. Cooper deftly captures him straight on from the shoulders up, with Churchill's arresting gaze directed fixedly towards the viewer. He dons a white tie with his Order of Merit alongside numerous other military decorations, a subtle reminder of the extraordinary accomplishments of this historic leader.

The work on paper closely resembles Cooper's life-size portrait of Churchill, which was donated to the Junior Carlton Club in 1950. The artist visited his subject at his home, Chartwell, beginning in 1947 to plan for the important portrait commission. The present portrait represents one of just a handful of compositions that were produced during his visits.

Alfred Egerton Cooper enjoyed a long and successful career as a painter, and he was especially celebrated for his official portraits of powerful public figures and royalty. He became John Singer Sargent’s studio assistant, painting backgrounds and details for his works. He went on to be elected to the Royal Society of British Artists and was named official artist of the Royal Air Force, as well as exhibiting frequently at the Royal Academy and Paris Salon. Today, his works, including depictions of Churchill, can be found in the Parliamentary Art Collection and the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Dated 1948

Paper: 17" high x 13 3/4" wide
Frame: 22 3/4" high x 19 3/4" wide