The unique painting will be exhibited at Sotheby’s in New York in May before being sold at auction¹ in June.

Sotheby’s auction house is selling what it has described as one of the best surviving portraits of Churchill relating to the 80th birthday commission by Sutherland. This painting, which was created in September 1954 in preparation for the final destroyed commission, is of Churchill’s head and shoulders and shows him looking into the distance. It has an estimate of £500,000 to £800,000 ($620,000 to $1,000,000). The work will be on view at Churchill’s birthplace, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, before traveling to Sotheby’s in New York from May 3—16 then returning to London for auction on June 6.

In real life, Sotheby’s points out that it is understood to have been Churchill’s secretary Grace Hamblin who engaged her brother to take the painting away and burn it with Clementine’s approval.

woodstock, england april 16 one of the best surviving portraits of sir winston churchill by graham sutherland is unveiled at blenheim palace on april 16, 2024.