Lot Essay
The present work was inspired by a painting by John Singer Sargent called Ruined Cathedral, Arras, which was owned by Churchill's friend, Sir Philip Sassoon. Sassoon was also a great friend of Sargent, and in his position of Private Secretary to Field Marshal Douglas Haig, came into contact with Sargent when he was in France in 1918. Sassoon recorded that Sargent had been 'doing lovely things of... Arras Cathedral' and later came to own the picture.
Churchill was often a guest at Sir Philip Sassoon's country houses and Sassoon encouraged Churchill in his interest in Sargent, for example, loaning Two glasses on a verandah, an early work by Sargent, to Churchill in 1926. Churchill hung his copy of this work at this house, Chartwell. It was during the 1920s that Churchill also copied Ruined Cathedral, Arras, presumably while staying with Sassoon.
Arras Cathedral, consecrated in 1833, was heavily shelled by German forces in June and July 1915. A New York Times article dated 14 July 1915, titled 'Bishop's Palace Destroyed. Germans Concentrated Their Fire on That and Arras Cathedral', reported that 'On July 6, about 7 A.M., shells fell on the Cathedral, the roof of which took fire, and, despite the efforts of our troops, was entirely consumed, as were the Cathedral organs'. Contemporary photographs of the shelled cathedral, such as those held in the collection of the National Gallery of Scotland, show that Sargent was faithful in his depiction of the ruins.
Churchill's interpretation of Ruined Cathedral, Arras is painted with a freer hand and more intense colouring than the work by Sargent. Churchill takes particular interest in the immense solidity of the columns, still standing amongst the ruins. The play of light across the colonnade, and the emphasised pockmarking from shrapnel bring an emotive quality to the picture.
Churchill was often a guest at Sir Philip Sassoon's country houses and Sassoon encouraged Churchill in his interest in Sargent, for example, loaning Two glasses on a verandah, an early work by Sargent, to Churchill in 1926. Churchill hung his copy of this work at this house, Chartwell. It was during the 1920s that Churchill also copied Ruined Cathedral, Arras, presumably while staying with Sassoon.
Arras Cathedral, consecrated in 1833, was heavily shelled by German forces in June and July 1915. A New York Times article dated 14 July 1915, titled 'Bishop's Palace Destroyed. Germans Concentrated Their Fire on That and Arras Cathedral', reported that 'On July 6, about 7 A.M., shells fell on the Cathedral, the roof of which took fire, and, despite the efforts of our troops, was entirely consumed, as were the Cathedral organs'. Contemporary photographs of the shelled cathedral, such as those held in the collection of the National Gallery of Scotland, show that Sargent was faithful in his depiction of the ruins.
Churchill's interpretation of Ruined Cathedral, Arras is painted with a freer hand and more intense colouring than the work by Sargent. Churchill takes particular interest in the immense solidity of the columns, still standing amongst the ruins. The play of light across the colonnade, and the emphasised pockmarking from shrapnel bring an emotive quality to the picture.