Iconic Churchill Portrait Stolen in Canada Recovered in Italy
An original print of a famous portrait of Winston Churchill has been recovered in Italy after it was stolen from an Ottawa, Canada hotel more than two years ago.
The iconic photo, known as The Roaring Lion, was captured by Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh after Churchill gave a wartime speech on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in 1941. Canada, a British Empire Dominion at the time, sent roughly 10% of its population to fight for the Allied Forces in World War II. Canadian forces played a significant role in the Allied Victory.
The Roaring Lion is one of the world’s most reproduced photos, per CTV News in Canada, which played a crucial role in the theft.
Karsh famously removed Churchill’s cigar from his mouth moments before capturing the shot, likely contributing to the Prime Minister’s dour expression.
“My portrait of Winston Churchill changed my life. I knew after I had taken it that it was an important picture, but I could hardly have dreamed that it would become one of the most widely reproduced images in the history of photography,” the late photographer said.
“Churchill’s cigar was ever present. I held out an ashtray, but he would not dispose of it. I went back to my camera and made sure that everything was all right technically. I waited; he continued to chomp vigorously at his cigar. I waited. Then I stepped toward him and, without premeditation, but ever so respectfully, I said, ‘Forgive me, sir,’ and plucked the cigar out of his mouth,” Karsh explained. “By the time I got back to my camera, he looked so belligerent he could have devoured me. It was at that instant that I took the photograph.”
The experience didn’t leave too sour a taste in Churchill’s mouth, as Karsh later photographed him on two occasions in December 1955.
The original The Roaring Lion print was stolen from the lobby of the Fairmont Château Laurier hotel sometime between December 25, 2021, and January 6, 2022. However, it wasn’t reported stolen until August. The print had been replaced on the wall by a facsimile reproduction.
‘My portrait of Winston Churchill changed my life,’ said photographer Yousuf Karsh.
Ottawa Police investigators say they have identified and charged a man in connection with the theft, a 43-year-old Canadian from Powassan, Ontario. Authorities say they worked with international law enforcement agencies and utilized public tips, forensic analysis, and international cooperation to identify and arrest the suspected thief.
The suspect was arrested on April 25, 2024, and charged with six crimes, including forgery, theft over $5,000, damage of property, possession of property obtained by crime, trafficking stolen property, and possessing property obtained by crime for trafficking. His identity is protected by Canadian law pending criminal proceedings, but he has appeared in court already.
Identifying the suspect is just one piece of the puzzle. It has taken longer to recover the stolen photograph.
After it was taken from Ottawa, the portrait made its way to England and was sold through a London auction house to an Italian buyer. According to Ottawa Police, both buyers claim they were unaware the image was stolen.
The Ottawa Police Service has been working with the Carabinieri, the Italian police force, along with the portrait’s purchaser, a private citizen in Genoa, Italy, to return the picture to its rightful home. The portrait will be handed to the Ottawa Police Service in Rome later this month, and then journey back across the Atlantic to be displayed again in the Fairmont Château Laurier.
“We are thrilled about the iconic Roaring Lion portrait returning to its rightful at the Fairmont Château Laurier,” Fairmont Château Laurier general manager Genevieve Dumas told CTV News over email. “This portrait, captured by renowned Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh, is not only an irreplaceable work of art but also a significant piece of our hotel’s history.”
“The Ottawa Police Service would like to express its deepest gratitude to the public and partner agencies for their assistance with this file. The extensive investigation would not have been possible without their cooperation and assistance.”
Image credits: ‘The Roaring Lion’ was captured by Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh in Ottawa, Canada, in 1941. Ottawa Police have provided a digital, cropped copy of the photograph for the purpose of covering the story.
