A notable statesmen and orator, Sir Winston Churchill was also an artist in his own right. One of his more prominent works, Tower of Kataoubia Mosque, was recently acquired by Bill Rau, president of the New Orleans-based Rau Antiques. The 1943 oil painting measures 18’’ by 24’’ and is asking for a price of USD 2,950,000.
Originally a gift for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Tower is a depiction of Koutoubia Mosque at sunset with the snowcapped Atlas Mountains in the distance. Churchill painted the piece after the two climbed to the top of the Berber Tower in Casablanca to view the sunset. Roosevelt was so enamoured by the sight that Churchill painted it for the president as a memento of their friendship and as a universal symbol of freedom. It hung in Roosevelt’s home in Hyde Park until his death, before being passed along by various collectors.
via [Robb Report]
Comments