Churchill: The Statesman as Artist

This thin volume, which could have been a little thinner yet, consists of a long, well-written introduction by noted British historian Cannadine (Class in Britain), 12 of Churchill’s essays on and reviews of art, and four short essays by art critics about Churchill’s artistic productions. Churchill turned to painting in 1915, when he was dismissed as first lord of the admiralty because of the military disaster at Gallipoli. He ultimately produced more than 500 canvases—mostly landscapes. With one shining exception, Churchill’s essays and reviews are replete with distinctly un-Churchillian prose (e.g., “The function of such an institution as the Royal Academy [of Art] is to hold a middle course between tradition and innovation”). The exception is his buoyant, eloquent 1948 essay “Painting as a Pastime,” in which he writes of the joy painting has provided him, of how seeking new landscapes is a spur to travel (“Every country where the sun shines has a theme of its own”), and of how the canvas serves “as a screen between us and the envious eyes of Time or the surly advance of Decrepitude.” The four short essays by critics are underwhelming by comparison. Still, lovers of art and followers of Churchill will find the book rewarding. [em](Nov.) [/em]