Sutherland's Portrait of Winston Churchill Sutherland's Portrait of Winston Churchill In 1954 the English artist Graham Sutherland was commissioned to paint a full-length portrait of Sir Winston Churchill. The 1,000 guinea fee for the painting was funded by donations from members of the House of Commons and House of Lords. The painting was presented to Churchill by both Houses of Parliament at a public ceremony in Westminster Hall on his 80th birthday on 30 November 1954. Churchill hated the portrait. After the public presentation, the painting was taken to his country home at Chartwell but was not put on display. After the death of Lady
Sutherland's Portrait of Winston Churchill their property as they saw fit. Some preparatory sketches for Sutherland's painting are held by the National Portrait Gallery, London. It is thought that a copy of the portrait is held at the Carlton Club, also in London, although it is not on display. The Beaverbrook Art Gallery also has a number of studies Sutherland did in preparation for the portrait in its collection. Within the events of the Netflix series "The Crown", the ninth episode of the first season dramatizes the creation, unveiling, and destruction of the portrait starring John Lithgow as Sir Winston Churchill, Stephen Dillane as Graham