Winston Churchill, by Andy Thomas

Winston Churchill was certainly one of mankind’s great characters. His intelligence and sharp wit are legendary and so is his record as the British Prime Minister, saving the free world and all.

I wanted to do a portrait of Churchill as I imagine he would have looked if I were in his study enjoying a brandy and a cigar and talking with him. I knew I wanted to show his impish grin at some remark he made. For this painting, I gathered dozens of photographs and found only one or two with him smiling. Of course, I realized the always image conscious Churchill would show his determined, bulldog look whenever he knew he was being photographed. This portrait, I hope, portrays a more personal, human side of the great man.