Stolen 1941 Churchill portrait found in Italy, to be returned to Ottawa hotel

After nearly three years since its disappearance, the iconic 1941 portrait of Winston Churchill, known as "The Roaring Lion," has returned to its rightful place at the Fairmont Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa. The hotel unveiled the recovered photograph during a special ceremony on Friday, attended by the hotel's general manager, Geneviève Dumas, and other dignitaries.

"I can tell you that it is armed, locked, secured," said Dumas, emphasizing the enhanced security measures now in place to protect the valuable artwork. She added, "It's like Fort Knox. It's not going to move." While rehanging the portrait on Thursday, staff accidentally triggered the alarm system. "I'm sure they heard it on Parliament Hill," Dumas remarked, highlighting the sensitivity of the new security setup.

The return of the portrait marks the culmination of an international investigation following its theft. The photograph was stolen from the hotel's reading-room wall between Christmas 2021 and January 6, 2022. The thief replaced it with a convincing forgery that included a forged signature of the original photographer, Yousuf Karsh. The deception went unnoticed until August 2022, when a hotel staff member observed that the frame looked different and was hanging crookedly.

Upon discovering the swap, the hotel alerted the Ottawa police, who launched an investigation into the theft of the treasured portrait. It was found that the stolen photograph had been sold through an auction house in London to a private buyer, eventually ending up in Rome. Both the seller and the buyer were unaware that the portrait had been stolen.

In September, two Ottawa police detectives traveled to Rome to retrieve the stolen artwork. The portrait was handed over to Canadian authorities at the Canadian Embassy in Rome. The successful recovery was a significant achievement for the investigative team and brought relief to the hotel's management and patrons.

Ottawa police have charged 43-year-old Jeffrey Wood from Powassan, Ontario, with forgery, theft over $5,000, and trafficking in property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000. The case against Wood is currently before the courts, with his next appearance scheduled for March 3 in Ottawa.

Italian lawyer Nicola Cassinelli from Genoa, who had unknowingly purchased the stolen portrait in May 2022 for £5,292 ($6,895), sent a heartfelt message to the unveiling ceremony. "The magnificent photograph by Yousuf Karsh captures in the eyes of Sir Winston Churchill the pride, the anger, and the strength of the free world. And it represents, better than any other, the desire for the triumph of good over evil," Cassinelli said. Despite the "extraordinary privilege" of having the portrait hang in his home, he acknowledged, "The Roaring Lion belongs to the public."

"The Roaring Lion" is one of the most famous depictions of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, renowned for showing him glowering into the camera. Photographer Yousuf Karsh captured the iconic image in 1941, just after Churchill delivered a rousing wartime address to Canadian lawmakers. The portrait not only immortalized Churchill's defiant posture during World War II but also became an enduring symbol of resilience and leadership.

Toward the end of his life, Karsh signed and gifted the portrait to the Fairmont Château Laurier hotel, where he had lived and worked for nearly two decades. The photograph has since held a special place in the hotel's history and has been a significant attraction for guests and visitors.

The theft and subsequent recovery of the portrait have underscored the importance of art security and provenance verification in the art world. In response, the hotel's management has implemented substantial measures to ensure the artwork's safety. Dumas's comments reflect a commitment to preserving this piece of history for future generations.

The return of "The Roaring Lion" has been met with relief and joy by the Ottawa community and history enthusiasts alike. The portrait's reinstatement not only restores a piece of Canadian heritage but also reaffirms the enduring legacy of Winston Churchill and the artistry of Yousuf Karsh. As it resumes its place on the wall of the Fairmont Château Laurier, the portrait continues to symbolize strength and determination in the face of adversity.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq