When he wasn't making history, he was making paintings | Art by Winston Churchill #art #history

Winston Churchill is widely known for his role as a British statesman, but fewer people realize that he was also an accomplished painter. He began painting in his 40s, during a period of depression following his resignation from the government after the Gallipoli campaign in World War I. He once said, "Painting is complete as a distraction. I know of nothing which, without exhausting the body, more entirely absorbs the mind." For Churchill, art was not just a hobby—it was a sanctuary from the stresses of political life.

His painting style was influenced by the Impressionists, particularly by the use of light and color. He favored landscapes and coastal scenes, often painting outdoors, and loved capturing the beauty of nature. Some of his favorite locations included the South of France and his estate at Chartwell. He also painted still lifes and portraits, but landscapes remained his passion.

Though he considered himself an amateur, Churchill's work was well-regarded. He exhibited under a pseudonym and won praise from professional artists. He even became friends with famous painters like Paul Maze, a French Impressionist who mentored him.

One of his most famous paintings is "The Tower of the Katoubia Mosque," which he painted during a trip to Morocco with Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943. After Churchill’s death, many of his paintings were sold or exhibited in galleries.