"Churchill & The Roaring Lion”--camera, chair, room, & two figures (Churchill and Yousuf Karsh)
$149.00
Item Number: DD407
"Churchill & The Roaring Lion”--camera, chair, room, & two figures (Churchill and Yousuf Karsh)
Britain's greatest Prime Minister stands scowling and glaring, while photographer Yousuf Karsh calmly takes his iconic portrait. This set also comes with the camera on its tripod and the three dimensional room setting modeled on the actual room in Ottawa, Canada.
‘CAPTURING THE MOMENT’
On December 30, 1941, in the middle of the Second World War, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was in Ottawa, Canada to address the Canadian Parliament on the progress of the conflict.
After his speech, a brief photo session was arranged by Canada’s own prime minister, Mackenzie King, to take several photographs of Churchill himself, as well as a double portrait of both prime ministers. Canadian-Armenian photographer Yousuf Karsh was chosen to take the photos, and told he had just ‘two minutes to perform his task’.
A few minutes after Churchill completed his speech to thunderous applause, he entered a small room in the Parliament building, where Karsh had his photo equipment and lights set up ready for the brief ‘sitting’. Churchill had just lit up a cigar when Karsh requested the Prime Minister to put down his cigar, as the smoke would interfere with the image. Churchill bluntly refused and so, just before taking the photo, Karsh quickly moved towards the P.M. and said, “Forgive me, Sir,,” while snatching the cigar from his subject’s mouth. Karsh said, “By the time I got back to my camera, Churchill looked so belligerent, he could have devoured me!” His scowl has been compared to “a fierce glare as if confronting the enemy”. Following the taking of the photo, Churchill himself stated, “You can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed,” thus giving the picture its notable and noteworthy title.
The resulting image--one of the 20th century’s most iconic photographic portraits-- effectively launched Yousuf Karsh’s long and successful international career.
The idea behind this unique little two figure set was suggested by one of King &Country’s most ardent young British-born collectors, Aren Berberian, who is himself of Armenian descent ,and whom I first met at last December’s London Show.
Many thanks Aren!
Due to be released in OCTOBER 2026.
