ROME, Sept 19 (Askume) – Italy returned to Canada on Thursday a famous portrait of Winston Churchill that was stolen from an Ottawa hotel two years ago and sold at auction to an Italian lawyer.
The so-called “roaring lion” photograph was taken by Yousuf Karsh in 1941, when the British World War II leader addressed the Canadian Parliament.
Churchill stood with his hands on his hips and looking angrily at the camera – an expression for which Cash snatched the cigar from the Prime Minister before opening the shutter.
The photo hung for years at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel, where the Armenian-Canadian photographer once had his studio, but staff discovered in August 2022 that his original photo had been replaced with a signed copy.
Subsequent investigations found that his copy went missing during the Christmas holidays in 2021 and was sold by a London auction house in May 2022 to lawyer Nicola Cassinelli, who discovered the truth and later tried to return the edition.
“I think if Mr. Cash donated it to the hotel, it means he really wanted it to be there,” Cassinelli said during a ceremony returning the work to the Canadian embassy.
He said he paid 5,200 pounds ($6,895) plus commission at the auction, but received only a partial refund. “I didn’t get all the money back, but I got a very interesting story,” Cassinelli said.
Hotel officials said the photo is an iconic image and an integral part of the hotel’s history. “It’s worth far more than its monetary value,” said Genevieve Dumas.
An Ontario man has been arrested for theft, Canadian media say.
($1 = 0.7542 British pounds)
