A previously stolen and replaced print of a famous portrait of Winston Churchill has been discovered in Genoa, Italy. The 1941 photograph was taken by Yousuf Karsh following Churchill’s rousing wartime speech to Canadian parliament, and is known as “The Roaring Lion.” The original portrait had disappeared from the Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa in the midst of covid lockdowns. The theft was announced on 19 August, 2022, after the picture was replaced by a fake.
The recently apprehended 43-year-old suspect from Powassan, Ontario, has been charged with forgery, theft, trafficking, and property damage. Ottawa police reported that the recovered portrait was in the possession of a private collector who had no knowledge that it had been stolen. The U.K’s £5 banknote also features the iconic photograph of the former wartime prime minister.
The incident surrounding the portrait’s theft and defaced replacement incited “deep sadness” from the Château Laurier hotel’s general manager, as the portrait remains a notable historic piece of the hotel. The suspect was tracked down with the help of tips from the public, forensic analysis, and open-source research. Canadian law enforcement proposed that the unidentified Italian buyer of the photograph will return the portrait later this month as part of a ceremony to herald its return.
Karsh’s photograph depicts Churchill on Parliament Hill moments after he removed a cigar from the statesman’s mouth. Karsh later commented that he waited patiently for Churchill to dispose of the cigar, but, after he refused to do so, he gently took the smoke away from the former prime minister. In his notes, Karsh noted that Churchill looked displeased by the move
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