Winston Churchill’s Monet Painting Restored for London Exhibition

A masterpiece by French Impressionist Claude Monet, once owned by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, has undergone restoration work to remove grime from cigar and fireplace smoke. The artwork, “Charing Cross Bridge,” now significantly brighter, is part of a new exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery in London entitled “Monet and London: Views of The Thames.” This exhibition marks the first time many of Monet’s London paintings are being displayed together.

Restoration efforts were spearheaded by Courtauld’s conservation team to prepare for the exhibition. The Art Newspaper reported that the cleaning process aimed to restore the painting’s vibrant hues by removing layers of airborne dirt accumulated over decades. According to Helen Glanville, a National Trust conservator, the restoration has brought the painting closer to “how it would have been left by Monet.”

The painting, believed to have been initiated between 1899 and 1900, was completed during Monet’s extended visits to London. Staying at the Savoy Hotel, Monet benefited from views of the River Thames, which he often captured from his windows. Inspired by the atmospheric fog of London, Monet expressed the city’s ethereal quality through his use of color and light, as noted by the Art Newspaper.

Monet’s reflections on London’s fog are well-documented. He once told art dealer René Gimpel, “Without the fog, London wouldn’t be a beautiful city. It’s the fog that gives it magnificent breadth.” This sentiment influenced his compositional choices, most noticeably, the positioning of the Houses of Parliament within the artwork.

The painting found its way into Churchill’s possession decades later as a gift from American literary agent Emery Reves in 1949. Churchill, known for his admiration of Monet and his own pursuits in painting, cherished the piece. Reves apparently stated in his letter accompanying the painting, “Knowing that Monet is your favorite painter, I have been searching for one of his good paintings for many months.” The prime minister valued the piece, displaying it prominently at his Chartwell home, where he often enjoyed cigars.

After Churchill’s passing in 1965, the family home and its contents, including the Monet, were acquired by the National Trust. The current Courtauld exhibition not only marks a return of “Charing Cross Bridge” to public view but also highlights its fascinating historical journey from Monet’s easel to a British leader’s mantelpiece.