Sir Winston Spencer Churchill O.M., HON. R.A.

(British, 1874-1965)

The Lake at Blenheim 50.8 x 61 cm. (20 x 24 in.)

Footnotes

Provenance
The Artist, by whom gifted to
Field Marshal Montgomery, 1957
Sale; Sotheby's Parke-Bernet, New York, 19 May 1966, where acquired by
Arthur Murray (1895-1991), New York, thence by family descent to the present owner

Literature
David Coombs, Churchill, His Paintings, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1967, p.113, cat.no.64, fig.VI (coll.ill., p.22)
David Coombs and Minnie S. Churchill, Sir Winston Churchill: His Life and His Paintings, Running Press, Philadelphia and London, 2003, p.61, cat.no.64, fig.86 (col.ill.)

A central figure of the 20th Century, Sir Winston Churchill left an indelible mark on modern history. He is immediately remembered for his wartime leadership of the British people, navigating the country through the most difficult of times and subsequently earning a place in the fabric of a nation, spanning generations. His strength and resolve permeated the Allied cause throughout World War II with admiration for his strategic ability and resilience spreading beyond these shores to a wider public. Although Churchill is most known for his defining role in the conflict, he was a multi-faceted individual whose long political career was complimented by his work as a writer and artist.

Sir Winston Churchill was born on November 30th, 1874, at Blenheim Palace, which was the home of his grandfather John, 7th Duke of Marlborough. Winston was of English and American parentage being the elder son of Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome of New York. Blenheim played a significant role as a backdrop to Churchill's life and was a constant throughout it, acting as a reliable escape for a young boy returning from boarding school in the holidays and a sanctuary for peaceful reflection in the most challenging moments of political and military life in adulthood. It is telling that Churchill chose to propose to his wife Clementine at Blenheim in 1908, four years after they had met, stating that 'At Blenheim, I took two very important decisions: to be born and to marry. I am content with the decision I took on both occasions.' Within the extensive grounds, Churchill chose the Temple of Diana designed by Sir William Chambers in 1773 for the engagement and the couple spent the first three nights of their honeymoon at Blenheim before embarking for Italy. Following the births of their five children, the family would frequently spend their Christmas' at Blenheim, with Winston annotating the visitor book with an 'X' should the children be too young to sign for themselves.

A place of enormous personal significance, Churchill painted often at Blenheim, illustrating the grandeur of the home he was intimately acquainted with both from inside and out. Examples include works such as The Great Hall (circa 1928), A State Room at Blenheim Palace (circa 1928) and Tapestries at Blenheim (circa 1930) commemorating the great military victory at Blenheim in 1704 of Churchill's ancestor, the 1st Duke of Marlborough. Externally, Churchill completed compositions such as Blenheim Palace through the Branches of a Cedar (circa 1920s), which shows a view of the West Front of the palace prior to the building of a water terrace, the site of which now hosts a sculpture of the artist working on the aforementioned painting by Paul Rafferty and titled Winston Churchill Painting. Churchill was generous with his artworks and gifted many to close friends, family, colleagues and dignitaries whom he was fond of and had worked closely alongside. Wooded Water near Blenheim (circa 1920s) was gifted by Churchill to Sir Anthony Montague Browne, who was his Private Secretary during his last period as Prime Minister, and remained in that position until Churchill's death. Inevitably, works by Churchill found their way into the collections of some of the most prominent figures in history, including U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry S. Truman and Franklin D. Roosevelt who received Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque (1943), the only painting completed by Churchill during World War II.

The present work titled The Lake at Blenheim (circa 1926–29) was a gift from Churchill to Field Marshal Montgomery and as such uniquely connects the two eminent leaders through the medium of oil paint. Montgomery, or 'Monty' as he was known, was widely regarded as being a military genius and stands as one of Britain's greatest field commanders. He had seen significant action during World War I, in which he had received a sniper bullet through his right lung at Ypres, continuing through the Battles of Arras and Passchendaele before finishing the war as Chief of Staff of the 47th Division. On the recommendation of General Alan Brooke, Montgomery was appointed commander of the 8th Army in Egypt during World War II with Churchill noting to his wife Clementine that 'we have a highly competent daring and energetic soldier, well-acquainted with desert warfare'. Montgomery performed his duties successfully with a decisive victory over General Rommel at the Second Battle of El Alamein in 1942, which was a major turning point in the North African campaign, followed by his command of all Allied ground forces during Operation Overlord, overseeing the D-Day landings and subsequent Battle of Normandy in 1944. Despite their differing personalities, Churchill admired his determination, dynamism and strategic prowess and the two men remained in contact for the rest of their lives, with Montgomery stating that it was after the war at Chartwell that 'our true friendship began.' Their time spent together at Chartwell inevitably involved reminiscing over military matters and even extended to watching films together in the dining room with Monty operating the projector, alongside croquet on the lawn with Clementine. It is not surprising that Churchill chose to gift Montgomery one of his paintings and one so personal as The Lake at Blenheim in 1957, most likely during a visit to Chartwell and on the cusp of the distinguished soldier's retirement. The 'still waters' of the lake can be seen as symbolic of the peaceful life that would hopefully follow a career of intense military service, something Churchill himself would have known only too well following his own retirement as Prime Minister in 1955.

The Lake at Blenheim is a calm depiction of the Queen Pool, which was created from landscaping designed by Capability Brown and after Queen Philippa, wife of King Edward III. It had originally been a smaller pool created by the 1st Duchess of Marlborough in 1715 and known as the 'Duchess' Lake'. Water was a favourite subject for Churchill, allowing him to paint en plein air, and with its calming presence providing an antidote to revive his spirits during times of stress. Examples of the sea, rivers and lakes can be found throughout his work alongside depictions of the beloved goldfish pond at his Chartwell home. In the present work, Churchill has positioned himself in close proximity to the lake's bank, which is rich in flora, and the lush water whose movement can be determined by the fluid, impressionistic brushwork. Lilies are present on the surface of the lake indicating that the painting was completed in the summer months, which is reinforced by the blue sky and dappled sunlight. The mature trees with their dense green foliage are reflected and cast shadows in the water on what is apparently an idyllic day at a secluded spot. The privacy and sense of calm conveyed at this moment would have clearly appealed to Churchill who uniquely signed the painting twice, both in full and with initials.

PROPERTY FROM THE FAMILY OF ARTHUR MURRAY

Arthur Murray danced his way to fame and fortune as the world's best-known teacher of ballroom dance. By the time he stepped down as President of Arthur Murray Inc. in 1964, Mr. Murray had built a dance instruction empire including over 300 franchised dance studios globally and a series of dance instruction manuals that taught millions of Americans the confidence, poise, and skills of ballroom dancing.

Born Moses Teichman in 1895 in Austria-Hungary, Murray's family immigrated to New York City in 1897. While attending Morris High School in the Bronx, he discovered his love for ballroom dancing. He began giving ballroom dancing lessons in the 1910's and in the 1920's wrote a lesson book with illustrated diagrams outlining the dance steps, which he built into a highly lucrative mail-order enterprise. In 1925, he married his lifelong dance partner Kathryn Kohnfelder Murray.

Despite the Depression and outbreak of World War II, his business continued to prosper. The clientele of his dance studios began to include important political figures, titans of industry, and celebrities, including Eleanor Roosevelt, John D. Rockefeller Jr., Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, and Elizabeth Arden. Mr. Murray was an astute businessman and leveraged that savvy with clever marketing campaigns that emphasized how dancing could improve people's social standing and self-confidence.

The Arthur Murray Party, a weekly television variety show which aired from 1950 to 1960, brought the Arthur Murray brand into American households on a regular basis. During this time, Mr. Murray began collecting fine art, building his spectacular collection of American and European Art which included works by Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), Winston Churchill (1874-1965), and Robert Henri (1865-1929), several of which he donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Honolulu Museum of Art. He possessed a discerning eye for quality and works with impeccable provenance.

Bonhams is honoured to be offering works from the collection in our November 2025 and Spring 2026 sales in New York and London.