The English artist Graham Sutherland (1903–1980), a painter and designer commissioned by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee to document bomb damage in Wales and London, was selected by the House of Commons to paint an honorary portrait of Winston Churchill in 1954.
Churchill despised the portrait. A few months after its delivery, it was destroyed on the orders of Lady Churchill. However, preparatory sketches and oil studies survive, as well as a series of photographs taken by renowned fashion photographer Elsbeth Juda and a striking image captured by photojournalist Larry Burrows. These materials were used by the team at Factum Arte and María Bisbal to recreate this iconic image.
Pruebas de impresión en lienzo
The painting, scanning, printing, and research process was filmed for the television series Mystery of the Lost Paintings, produced by Sky Arts in collaboration with Peter Glidewell, Ballandi Arts, and Factum Arte.
The full series focuses on seven major paintings by Vermeer, Monet, Van Gogh, Franz Marc, Klimt, Lempicka, and Sutherland, all of which were destroyed, stolen, or lost during the 20th century. Each one-hour episode tells the story of the artist, the painting, and its disappearance. The emphasis lies in a meticulous presentation that explores the artist’s biography, the character of the original work, and the discussions surrounding its rematerialization.
You can learn more about the project at Factum Arte Digital Developments.
To watch the full documentary, click here: Mystery of the Lost Churchill.
Trabajando en una de las versiones para el retrato de Winston Churchill
