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Stolen Churchill Portrait Set To Return To Canada After Being Found In Italy
Officials have celebrated the discovery of Winston Churchill’s “Roaring Lion” photo portrait, which was stolen in Canada and found in Italy following a two-year police hunt.
The photograph was given to Elissa Golberg, the Canadian ambassador to Italy, during a ceremony held at the Canadian Embassy in Rome.
Golberg commended the collaboration between Italian and Canadian detectives that resulted in the recovery. Prepared for its final journey home to the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, the Ottawa hotel where the 1941 portrait of the British Prime Minister was stolen and will once more be on display, is the portrait by Ottawa photographer Yousuf Karsh.
According to Canadian police, the image was changed to a fake after it was taken from the hotel somewhere between Christmas 2021 and January 6, 2022.
Only in August, months after the exchange took place, did a hotel employee notice that one of the frames wasn’t hanging correctly and didn’t appear like the others.
The portrait was bought by Italian lawyer Nicola Cassinelli for £5,292 in May 2022 during an online Sotheby’s auction. He added that in October, he received a call from the auction house warning him not to transfer or sell the image in any way since there was an ongoing investigation into the Ottawa crime.
Attending the ceremony on Thursday, Mr. Cassinelli stated that he initially agreed to send the famous Churchill picture thinking he was purchasing a standard print, and quickly agreed to send the iconic Churchill photograph home when he learned of its true story.
“I immediately decided to return it to the Chateau Laurier because I think that if Karsh donated it to the hotel, it means he wanted it to stay there, for the particular significance this hotel had for him, and for his wife too,” Mr Cassinelli said.
Karsh took the picture in December 1941, during Churchill’s visit to the Canadian Parliament during the war.
It contributed to the beginning of Karsh’s career since he went on to photograph some of the most well-known figures of the 20th century, such as Queen Elizabeth II, Albert Einstein, and Nelson Mandela.
In 1998, Karsh and his spouse Estrellita gave the Fairmont Chateau Laurier an original autographed print. For almost twenty years, the pair had resided in the hotel and run a studio there. The general manager of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Genevieve Dumas, expressed her tremendous gratitude on Thursday.
“I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to everybody involved in solving this case, and ensuring the safe return of this priceless piece of history,” she said.
A 43-year-old Powassan, Ontario, man was taken into custody by police in April and is accused of stealing and trafficking the image. The guy is accused of forgery, theft, and trafficking in property obtained via criminal activity. His name is prohibited from publication.
Gentle Reminder: Be careful how you use your authority and influence, be wise, and treat others with respect.
Chychy Jonas
