Still Life with Aubergines and Red Peppers on a Silver Tray by Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill
1874-1965 | British

Still Life with Aubergines and Red Peppers on a Silver Tray

Signed "WSC" (lower right)
Oil on canvas

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, Still Life with Aubergines and Red Peppers on a Silver Tray, 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.

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.

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.  

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.

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.” 

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. 

Circa 1934-35

Canvas: 24 3/8” high x 29 1/2” wide (61.91 x 74.93 cm)
Frame: 30 3/8” high x 35 1/2” wide x 4" deep (77.15 x 90.17 x 10.16 cm)

View the Dossier

Provenance:
Gifted by the artist to Mr. Alfred Kern, 1946
Sale, Sotheby's, London 14th March 1979
Sale, Christie's, London March 1991
Wells Collection
Churchill family member, United Kingdom
M.S. Rau, New Orleans

Literature:
David Coombs and M. Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings, Dorset, 2011, C510, fig. 510, p. 240, illustrated