Saturday 23 May – Sunday 29 November 2026
Exhibition Galleries
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Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) was one of the great statesmen of the twentieth century – the UK’s Prime Minister during the Second World War, and a Member of Parliament for 62 years. He was also a passionate and prolific painter. In painting, he found respite from public pressures, and a lifelong source of joy.
The first major retrospective of Sir Winston Churchill’s paintings since his death, this exhibition brings together more than 50 of his works. More than half are from private collections, rarely accessible to the public.
Happy are the painters, for they shall not be lonely. Light and colour, peace and hope, will keep them company to the end.
Encounter sombre wartime scenes and radiant Mediterranean views, carefully composed still-lifes and portraits, luminous Moroccan cityscapes, and deeply personal paintings of Chartwell, Churchill’s beloved home and garden.
During Churchill’s lifetime, some were exhibited at the Royal Academy, or given as tokens of friendship or diplomatic gifts. But most were painted purely for the pleasure and challenge of the creative process.
Want to explore more deeply? Join us for talks, tours and creative workshops, during the day and after hours, as we delve into Winston Churchill’s artistic practice and influences, art as an expression of soft power, and more.
The relationship between Churchill and the Wallace Collection dates back to the Second World War. In 1942, the museum hosted the Artists Aid Russia exhibition, a fundraiser supported by his wife Clementine Churchill. Discover this extraordinary moment in the Wallace Collection’s history in our free display The Wallace Collection at War.
This exhibition was made possible by:
David and Molly Lowell Borthwick with the International Churchill Society
Generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Jake and Hélène Marie Shafran.
We are thankful to Michael and Angela Cronk, Kathryn Uhde and other donors for their additional support of the exhibition.
The Wallace Collection is grateful to the Friends of Churchill: The Painter and, in particular, to Marilyn and Lawrence Friedland, the Zarnegin family (Beverly Hills, CA) and an anonymous donor.
Exhibition Sponsor: Hallmark
Associate Sponsor: Sotheby's
The catalogue was generously supported by The Elizabeth Cayzer Charitable Trust.
Background Image: Sir Winston Churchill, Cap d’Ail, Alpes-Maritimes C489, 1952. Royal Academy of Arts, London. © Churchill Heritage Ltd. Photo: ©Royal Academy of Arts, London; photographer: John Hammond.