Winston Churchill in British Art, 1900 to the Present Day

Churchill is today remembered as a great leader, a war hero, a literary heavyweight and a renowned wit. This incarnation of Churchill is the latest in a long-evolving identity, which at various times has sustained his power, enhanced his popularity and enabled him to personify aspects of British national identity. Indeed Churchill was more aware than most of the performative power of his public life. He lived in an age of the illustrated mass-produced newspaper, with its cartoons and 'Kodak-snappers'. He was well-known for his readiness to appear in uniform for photo opportunities during the Second World War and he not only wrote about the art of political caricature, but collected cartoons of himself, his allies and opponents. In this heavily-illustrated book, Jonathan Black considers the changing image of Churchill in visual art, from cartoons and paintings to photographs and sculptures. He asks how and why his image developed right up to the present day and examines the extent to which Churchill was complicit in its production.

Jonathan Black

Introduction First Age: Young Winston, 1898-1909 Second Age: The Political Meteor, 1910-1915 Third Age: From Disgrace to Redemption, 1916-1929 Fourth Age: In the Wilderness, 1929-1939 Fifth Age: Finest Hour, 1940-1945 Sixth Age: Cold War Warrior, 1946-1955 Seventh Age: Twilight Years and Apotheosis, 1955-1980s Epilogue: Churchill in the 21st Century