Stealing Churchill’s Cigar and Freezing a Moment of History
You know you’ve captured something special when your subject’s frown becomes a symbol of resolve for an entire country. That’s exactly what happened on 30th December 1941, when renowned portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh captured the iconic image of England’s indomitable wartime prime minister, Winston Churchill. This shot has become one of the most famous portraits of the twentieth century, immortalised in history books. But, like with any great event, what happened behind the scenes adds another element of fascination. Let me take you back to that time and explain what happened before and after the famed click.
Before delving into the story of that remarkable photoshoot, it’s important to learn a little bit about the man who organised it: Yousuf Karsh.
Karsh was born in Mardin, Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) in 1908 and grew up in a difficult environment. His Armenian family escaped to avoid persecution during the Armenian Genocide, and he arrived in Canada as a refugee as a teenager. Fortunately, Karsh’s uncle, a photographer from Quebec, took him in and exposed him to the world of photography.
Karsh’s interest in photography grew significantly. He subsequently relocated to Boston to apprentice with John H. Garo, a renowned portrait photographer who trained him and polished his ability to capture not only faces, but the spirit of personality. When Karsh returned to Canada in the mid-1930s, he immediately established a reputation for more than just technical photography; it could portray his subjects’ inner strength, personality, and character. Karsh believed that with the right lighting and creativity, a good portrait might disclose a person’s essence.
Over the years, he photographed many notable figures, including Albert Einstein, Ernest Hemingway, Queen Elizabeth II, and Pablo Picasso. But the actual turning point in his career, his breakthrough moment, occurred when he pointed his camera at Winston Churchill.
It was December 1941, and World War II had engulfed Europe. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, had travelled to Ottawa to address the Canadian Parliament, rousing support for the Allies and cementing support in the fight against the Axis forces. It was a really anxious period. Churchill had recently visited Washington, D.C., where he met with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to discuss post-Pearl Harbour strategy. The globe was keeping a careful eye on Churchill’s next destination, Canada.
Someone in Ottawa, aware of Karsh’s rising reputation as a photographer of influential people, arranged for him to photograph the British prime minister while he was visiting Parliament. Nobody, including Churchill, could have guessed that the ensuing photograph would capture a specific tone across the whole Allied effort.
Churchill was not too thrilled on the idea of being photographed that day. He had just delivered an important, emotionally charged address in which he guaranteed the world of Britain’s determination to continue fighting Nazi aggression. He was fatigued from the speech and didn’t want to take a photograph. However, as part of the diplomatic niceties, Churchill grudgingly consented to represent Karsh in the Speaker’s Chambers of the Canadian Parliament.
Imagine this scenario: you’ve just done one of the most important speeches of your life, you’re jet-lagged, and exhausted from constant strategic conversations — and now someone wants to flash a camera at you? It’s unsurprising that Churchill was not overjoyed. Karsh, understanding Churchill’s prominence, was understandably concerned. Not only was the prime minister losing patience, but time was running out—he only had a few fleeting moments to get this right.
Churchill was known for his love of cigars, and when he sat down, he held one of his characteristic smokes in his hand. He cut an imposing figure. Recognising that the cigar would interfere with the composition of the shot and intending to convey Churchill’s serious and determined demeanour, Karsh kindly asked Churchill if he would mind removing the cigar. No dice. Churchill, who was known for his sharp wit and occasional grumpiness, just declined and continued to ruminate, the cigar dangling from his mouth unbothered.
This is where the scene takes a dramatic change, and it may be one of the most bold actions in photographic history. Karsh performed something unexpected given his restricted options. Karsh made a brave and hazardous move by confidently approaching Churchill and, without warning, plucked the cigar right out of his mouth. It felt like time had stopped. Imagine everyone in the room gasping together. Karsh later admitted he didn’t know how Churchill would respond. The tension was palpable.
Churchill was well-known for his fiery temper. Enraged, he gave Karsh a fierce scowl, furrowing his brows deeply and pressing his lips closely together. This was one of the most defiant moments I’ve ever witnessed. But then, click ! The exact photograph that would become legendary was captured.
Karsh unwittingly captured “the roar of the lion,” a phrase commonly popularised to symbolise Churchill’s determination and resilience throughout WWII. The photograph became more than just a snapshot of a man; it also represented an unwavering nation striving for survival in the face of hardship.
Following the tremendous moment, the storm dissipated soon. As the old Churchill charm reappeared, the prime minister relaxed and let Karsh shoot several more photos of him. According to Karsh, once the cigar incident was out of Churchill’s system, he relaxed and even grinned. The follow-up images revealed a more relaxed, friendly look. However, none of those images caught the strong intent imprinted in the initial scowling image. Later, Churchill reportedly told Karsh: “You can even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed.” Karsh’s calculated risk could have gone horribly wrong, but instead earned him Churchill’s reluctant admiration.
That one shot grew to become more than just a portrait. It was published in “Life” magazine and seen by millions of people at a time when Allied morale was desperately low. The image became a visual monument to Britain’s unwavering resolve and leadership during a difficult and uncertain period.
Karsh’s painting of Winston Churchill was recognised not only for its artistic merit, but also as a symbol of something larger: the fight against Nazism. In historical movies, classrooms, and biographies, the image serves as an everlasting memory of WWII and the leadership that propelled the Allies to triumph.
For Yousuf Karsh, the Churchill portrait was a game changer. He quickly rose to prominence as one of the world’s most sought-after photographers. His ability to capture the essence of powerful individuals became his signature. He later stated that the Churchill shot was the defining moment in his career, establishing a legacy that would last for decades.
His career extended six decades, and he photographed approximately 15,000 people, including practically everyone of importance in politics, the arts, and more. Karsh has now been credited for capturing 51 of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century.
Despite his prominence, Karsh was always humble. He didn’t desire power for its own reason; rather, he was genuinely interested in capturing the human spirit underlying the titles and positions. His concept was straightforward: no subject was too important or small, and everyone possessed something particularly powerful within them. And it was his responsibility to convey it to the world.
Regardless of his accomplishments, one thing was certain: the photograph of Winston Churchill was unrivalled. Capturing that moment of defiance, a man who represented the spirit of resistance in the face of overwhelming odds, cemented Yousuf Karsh’s place as a photographic legend, inextricably linked to one of the twentieth century’s most recognised leaders.
Though Karsh went on to take countless classic photos during his long and illustrious career, the photograph of Churchill remains unique. What makes it timeless isn’t just the scowl; it’s the context, the tension in the room, the world on the verge of anarchy, and a photographer willing to push his powerful subject to his breaking point.
The painting was more than just about Winston Churchill; it expressed the collective spirit of resistance and determination that pervaded the Allied nations during WWII. And in the little room where Yousuf Karsh confronted a disgruntled prime minister and flicked his cigar away, history was not only documented, but also created.
Embracing Color and Chaos in the Mind of Picasso
Pablo Ruiz Picasso, born on 25th October 1881, in the Andalusian city of Málaga, Spain, was destined to become an artist. His father, Don José Ruiz y Blasco, was a painter and art teacher who recognised and encouraged his son’s outstanding potential from an early age. When Pablo was a teenager, the Picasso family relocated to Barcelona, a city rich in avant-garde ideas and artistic fervour. Picasso frequented Els Quatre Gats, a café that hosted modernist poets, artists, and philosophers.
Picasso’s early works were rooted in realism, but the death of his close friend Carlos Casagemas in 1901 spurred a significant shift. Picasso’s palette darkened when he entered his “Blue Period” (1901-1904), which was characterised by blue and green tones. His subjects were frequently marginalised figures—beggars, prostitutes, and the poor—who reflected themes of melancholy and human misery. Paintings such as “The Old Guitarist” exemplify this era’s emotional depth.
Around 1904, his attitude and palette improved, ushering in the “Rose Period” (1904-1906). This phase was characterised by warm pink and orange tones, with circus performers, harlequins, and clowns. Works like “Family of Saltimbanques” indicate a modest change towards a lighter, more romantic sensibility while hinting at future creative progression.
Picasso’s interaction with African and Iberian art about 1907 constituted a watershed moment. Fascinated by the stylised forms and symbolic significance of tribal masks and sculptures, he began to incorporate them into his artwork. This phase, also known as “African-influenced” or “Proto-Cubism”, resulted in one of his most breakthrough works, “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (1907). This bold image of five female nudes, complete with deformed features and fractured planes, disrupted traditional perceptions and laid the groundwork for a new creative vocabulary.
Picasso and French artist Georges Braque pioneered Cubism, a revolutionary movement in which items were disassembled into geometric patterns and reassembled on canvas from numerous perspectives. This method challenged standard concepts of space and representation. The Analytical Cubism period (1908-1912) included subdued tones and complicated, interconnected planes, as shown in works such as “Girl with a Mandolin”.
Around 1912, Synthetic Cubism evolved, introducing brighter colours and the use of mixed media, such as newspaper clippings and patterned paper, thereby inventing the collage technique. Picasso’s “Still Life with Chair Caning” exhibits this novel combination of materials and ideas, blurring the distinction between high art and everyday goods.
Perhaps no single piece better captures Picasso’s idealism and political participation than “Guernica” (1937). Picasso’s mural-sized painting, commissioned by the Spanish Republican government for the Paris International Exposition, was an emotional reaction to the destruction of the Basque village of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. On 26th April 1937, German and Italian warplanes backing Spanish Nationalist troops launched a devastating aerial bombardment on the town, killing a large number of civilians.
“Guernica” depicts the horrors of war in harsh monochrome. The chaotic composition depicts agonised figures—a gored horse, a crying lady cradling her dead kid, and a mutilated soldier—all illuminated by a single, glaring light bulb. The bull, frequently seen as a sign of brutality and darkness, dominates the scene. The broken, overlapping forms evoke a sensation of displacement and horror. Picasso’s strong vision transcended the specifics of the incident, creating a universal condemnation of war’s evils.
The artwork toured the world, bringing awareness of the humanitarian situation resulting from the Spanish Civil War and cementing Picasso’s reputation as a passionately active political artist. “Guernica” remains a powerful anti-war message and a classic of twentieth-century art.
His idealism went beyond his canvases. A lifelong pacifist, he joined the French Communist Party in 1944, seeing it as a way to promote peace and social justice. His political ideals frequently inspired his art, as evidenced by works such as “Dove of Peace”, which became the logo for the World Peace Congress in 1949. Despite criticism and political difficulties throughout the Cold War, Picasso stayed firm in his beliefs, using his celebrity to advance humanitarian causes.
Picasso’s style evolved throughout his busy career, as he experimented with sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, and stage design. His relentless curiosity and contempt for conventional rules catapulted art to new heights. Picasso had created almost 20,000 pieces by the time he died on 8th April 1973, each one showing his unwavering pursuit of creativity. His contribution to modern art is immense. He broke the illusion of perspective and representation, paving the way for abstract expressionism and inspiring many artists across disciplines. His ability to both honour and deconstruct artistic traditions demonstrates the duality at the heart of his talent.
Pablo Picasso’s life was an ongoing exploration of form, emotion, and ideation. His art not only reflects the intricacies of the human condition, but it also serves as a historical record of the stormy 20th century. Picasso’s greatest paintings, including “Guernica”, tackled the harsh realities of his day and championed the eternal power of artistic expression as a force for reflection and change. His legacy leaves an everlasting mark on the canvas of modern society, pushing future generations to push the limits of creativity and thought.