From MANIFESTO12 magazine: A still life of roses, created by Sir Winston Churchill, was first unveiled by Sotheby's in London last July 17th. Never exhibited before, the work reveals the little known but deep friendship between the British Prime Minister and the legendary star of Gone with the Wind.
"Roses in a Glass Vase” was given to Vivien in 1951, after a dinner hosted by Churchill for the birthday of the actress's husband, Sir Laurence Oliver.
Churchill's still lifes were given only to those closest to him and Vivien treasured the gift, so much so that the painting was hung on her bedroom wall. So, on Churchill's 90th birthday, she sent him a bouquet of roses as a gift.
With an estimate between 70.000 and 100.000 pounds, the painting will be one of the most interesting pieces of the auction dedicated to Vivien Leigh's personal collection, scheduled for next 26 September 2017. It will be sold together with a photograph of Winston Churchill in his studio at Chartwell, with the work behind him.
In 1950, a year before Vivien received the painting, Churchill had given her another gift: a copy of his book “Painting as a Pastime”, (estimate £1.500 – 2.000), a brief reflection on painting and the therapeutic benefits from making art.
Churchill clearly inspired Vivien to paint, as evidenced by one of her works, a delightful Italian landscape (estimate: £200-300) included in the sale, alongside the canvas artist's bag containing a wooden box with oil paints and a folding travel easel (estimate: £800-1,200).
“Churchill's gift reveals a deep respect and sincere esteem for the actress. Theirs was not a passing acquaintance, but a friendship that lasted over twenty years” – comments Frances Christie, Head of the Department of Modern and Post-war British Art.
Churchill and Leigh first met in 1936, when they were introduced by British film producer Alexander Korda on the set of the film Fire Over England. Vivien was a little-known actress at the time and Churchill an accomplished MP twice his age, but this was the beginning of a friendship that lasted until Churchill's death in 1965.
Churchill was a great cinephile and early admirer of Vivien Leigh's work. Upon the release of “Gone with the Wind” in London in 1940, Churchill, then British Prime Minister during the war, stayed until 2 in the morning to watch the film. And when “Lady Hamilton” came out the following year, it quickly became Churchill's favorite film.
Their strong bond is further evidenced by a letter included in the sale, dated 18 July 1957 (estimate: £2,000-3,000), in which Churchill secretly promises to donate money to the St James' Theater for Vivien.
