A celebrated portrait of Winston Churchill, stolen from an Ottawa hotel nearly two years ago, has been located in Italy.
The photograph, a 1941 portrait by renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh, had been sold through a London auction house to an unsuspecting buyer in Genoa.
Titled The Roaring Lion, the black and white portrait captures Churchill in a defiant pose shortly after delivering his famous “We shall never surrender” speech during World War II.
Karsh’s piece was replaced with a convincing forgery, a switch that went unnoticed for months.
It wasn’t until August 2022, when a hotel worker noticed discrepancies in the frame, that the theft was uncovered.
This image of Churchill—taken during one of six visits to the Canadian capital—is often considered one of the most recognizable photos of the wartime prime minister. It had been on display at the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa for decades prior to its theft.
Fairmont Chateau Laurier General Manager Genevieve Dumas (right) and Ottawa Police Services Detective Akiva Gellar (left) speak about the stolen Yousuf Karsh portrait of Winston Churchill, during a news conference in the hotel in Ottawa, Canada, Sept. 11, 2024. Italian lawyer Nicola Cassinelli unknowingly purchased the portrait in May 2022 at a Sotheby’s auction for $6,600. He later learned about the theft in October 2022.
Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP
Ottawa police said they tracked down the stolen artwork with the help of forensic analysis, public tips, and international cooperation.
The portrait was purchased by Italian lawyer Nicola Cassinelli in May 2022, through an online Sotheby’s auction, for approximately $6,600 USD.
Cassinelli, who had no knowledge of the theft, said he was surprised to learn the Churchill portrait hanging in his living room was at the center of an international art heist.
He received a call from the auction house in October, advising him not to sell or transfer the portrait because of an ongoing investigation.
The Genoan now plans to attend a ceremony at the Canadian Embassy in Rome, where the portrait will be officially returned to Canada.
“Once in Ottawa police custody, the portrait will be ready for the last step of its journey home to the Fairmont Château Laurier, where it will once again be displayed as a notable historic portrait,” police said during the conference.
The theft occurred between Christmas Day 2021 and Jan. 6, 2022, during a period of pandemic-induced lockdowns when the hotel was largely empty.
According to the Fairmont Château Laurier’s general manager, Geneviève Dumas, the lack of activity made it easier for the thief to make the switch undetected.
“Everything was closed, and we narrowed the gap to 12 days,” she said.
“The way that happened, there was nobody in the hotel and we discovered it only eight months later.”
Police arrested a 43-year-old man from Powassan, Ontario, in April 2023 in connection with the theft.
He faces charges including theft over $5,000, forgery, and trafficking in stolen property. His name has not been released due to a publication ban as the case is still before the courts.
Ottawa police Detective Akiva Gellar confirmed the situation is “still very sensitive” for this reason.
“A lot of the details about how we found it, and further details will be released during the ceremony in Rome,” he said.
“And later down the road, once we have the portrait back in Canada, we will be able to speak more about that.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
