Churchill Portrait Beloved and Signed by Former PM Could Fetch £100,000 at Auction

A rare portrait of Winston Churchill which was beloved and signed by the former British prime minister could fetch more than £100,000 at auction, according to Hansons Auctioneers.

The portrait was completed in pen and ink in 1995 when artist Paul Trevillion was just 21 years old. Having learned of Churchill’s hatred of a portrait commissioned for his 80th birthday, Trevillion decided to craft his own portrayal, including a cheeky grin and glint in his eyes.

“My drawing was based on images I’d seen of Churchill when I was a child in the Blitz,” Trevillion said.

“I was five years old when war broke out in 1939. Churchill was always smiling, with his famous V for victory sign. Those images of him helped me cope with the nighttime raids.”

Churchill was such a fan of the portrait that he insisted on signing Trevillion’s work, telling him it was the only portrait he had ever signed.

The portrait will be auctioned by Hansons on November 20, ten days before the 150th anniversary of Churchill’s birth.

Trevillion hopes the portrait secures more than £1 million, which the piece was insured for in 2017. He plans to donate a portion of the earnings to the Churchill Foundation and the Peace Field Projects. Credit: Hansons Auctioneers via Storyful