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Famous Churchill portrait stolen from hotel; No one noticed for months

The original print was produced by the photographer, and no new prints have been made for 30 years.
Credit: © Yousuf Karsh
A portrait of Winston Churchill stolen from a Canadian hotel and not noticed for months.

OTTAWA, ON — A print of one of the world’s most famous photographs was stolen from an Ottawa hotel earlier this year in a theft that went unnoticed for months. 

The portrait of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, taken by famed photographer Yousuf Karsh, was on display in the Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. 

Karsh and his wife lived in the hotel for 18 years. He had his studio there as well from 1972 to 1992, according to the photographer’s website. Karsh died in 2002. 

According to the site, earlier this month the hotel became aware that the print of Winston Churchill had been replaced with a copy. 

The hotel appealed for photographs by guests that showed the Churchill print, and officials said the theft has been narrowed down to a period of time between December 25, 2021, and January 6, 2022. Local police are asking anyone with photos at the hotel that might narrow down the time frame further to contact them. 

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The print is considered valuable since no new official prints have been produced since Karsh closed his studio in 1992.

The photo, considered to be one of the most famous in the world, is featured on the British five-pound note. It was taken in 1941 during Churchill’s wartime visit to Ottawa where he gave a speech to the Canadian Parliament. 

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According to Karsh, the photographer had set up his equipment the night before. Following the speech, Churchill was ushered into the Speaker’s Chamber. Not having been informed that his photo was to be taken, Churchill turned surly. After a short discussion, the prime minister relented and said, "You may take one." And then lit his cigar. 

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“I held out an ashtray, but he would not dispose of it. I went back to my camera and made sure that everything was all right technically,” Karsh said later. “I waited; he continued to chomp vigorously at his cigar. I waited. Then I stepped toward him and, without premeditation, but ever so respectfully, I said, ‘Forgive me, sir,’ and plucked the cigar out of his mouth. By the time I got back to my camera, he looked so belligerent he could have devoured me. It was at that instant that I took the photograph.”

Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.

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