LONDON — The Wallace Collection in London has opened the first major British retrospective of Winston Churchill’s paintings in more than six decades, offering a new perspective on the former British prime minister by focusing on his artistic output rather than his political legacy. The exhibition, which runs through Nov. 29, seeks to portray Churchill as a serious artist and reveal the vulnerabilities behind his public persona.

Churchill took up painting during World War I, a period marked by personal and political setbacks, including his demotion following the failed Gallipoli campaign. He carried an easel with him while serving on the Western Front, creating early works such as a depiction of a British battalion amid a bombed village in Belgium. Over his lifetime, he produced more than 500 canvases, often returning to the activity during times of political difficulty.

The exhibition highlights a range of subjects, from the gardens at Chartwell, Churchill’s country estate, to scenes along the French Riviera. Though his style was considered outdated, rooted in late 19th-century French Impressionism inspired by artists like Claude Monet, curators argue that his technical skill has been underestimated. Xavier Bray, director of the Wallace Collection, noted that the exhibition aims to reassess Churchill’s artistic talents and emphasize the humanity visible in his works, stating that they reveal a leader’s fragility as well as moments of joy and hope.

Churchill’s paintings also reflect significant historical contexts. A 1921 cityscape of Jerusalem corresponds with his tenure as colonial secretary and his role in shaping the post-Ottoman Middle East. A 1938 beach scene depicts bathers with a Napoleonic cannon pointing towards Europe, symbolizing Churchill’s mistrust of Nazi Germany at a time when Britain pursued appeasement policies.

Color and composition in Churchill’s art have been interpreted as expressions of resilience and emotional release. Jennie Churchill, his great-granddaughter, suggested that his use of vibrant color might represent “a form of defiance” against darker moods that she associated with his struggles with mental health, often described metaphorically by Churchill as a “black dog.” Churchill himself wrote in 1921 that painting provided a mental escape from the pressures of political life.

One of Churchill’s most famous wartime paintings, “Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque,” was created in 1943 after the Casablanca Conference, where Churchill secured an agreement with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the Allied invasion strategy in Europe. The painting captures a twilight scene viewed from their villa rooftop in Marrakesh and was given as a diplomatic gift to Roosevelt. Historian Catherine Katz highlighted this work as emblematic of Churchill’s attempt to preserve fleeting moments during a transformative period in history.

Several of Churchill’s works have found homes in private American collections, with some fetching record prices—most notably “Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque,” which sold for £8.3 million ($11.5 million) in 2021. The current exhibition features loans from private collectors, many of them American, marking a rare opportunity to see a significant portion of Churchill’s art in the UK.

Bray and other historians believe that Churchill’s paintings provide valuable insight into the man behind the political icon, revealing his anxieties, hopes, and humanity through the medium of art. The retrospective invites viewers to engage with a lesser-known dimension of Churchill’s life, moving beyond polarized views of his political record to explore the personal and emotional resonance captured on canvas.