Painting of Dunkirk owned by Winston Churchill goes on public display

At some point during its life, the painting sustained a 10cm tear in the canvas and over the years the varnish had yellowed. Around 100 hours of cleaning and repairs have now been completed, borrowing a technique used for medical treatment of wounds, with the use of sutures to mend the tear.

Chartwell’s curator Katherine Carter explained: “Churchill’s ‘we shall fight them on the beaches’ speech has gone down in history among the greatest wartime orations. So, we are delighted that we have been able to conserve and finally display such an important symbol of his legacy at his former home. It must have been poignant for him to be given this beautifully painted reminder of such a significant event of the Second World War, just at the time he was writing about Dunkirk for his history of the war a few years later.

“In partnership with the curatorial team at the Derby Museums Trust we were able to unearth the correspondences between Churchill and Ernest Townsend’s son and understand a little more behind the gift. The painting is now being displayed as part of a renewed focus on the story we tell at Chartwell of Churchill and his role as a wartime leader.”

The painting conservation was carried out at the National Trust’s Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio at Knole in Kent.
 
Paintings Conservator Sophie Reddington commented:
“The tear in the canvas was repaired by carefully humidifying the area, using Gore-Tex as a vapour barrier, preventing direct contact with water. This relaxed the broken threads enabling the torn edge to be neatly aligned and temporarily held in place with kinesiology tape (commonly used for sports injuries).
 
“The threads were re-woven with a surgical needle and then secured with adhesive – in a similar way to how wounds are treated with sutures. I was introduced to the technique a few years ago and am delighted by its success as a temporary fixing method.
 
“It is also always hugely satisfying removing old varnish layers from paint surfaces when they have discoloured badly over time. Often paintings have lost their original colours and dimensional appearance. Removing aged varnish layers is like bringing a painting back to life and this painting looks transformed with its colours fresh and vibrant again."
 
The frame of the painting is a much earlier carved and gilded 18th century frame. It was probably selected by the artist, as it had been cut down and re-used for the painting, a not uncommon practice, but perhaps also a reflection of the austerity of the Second World War.
 
It was important to retain evidence of the frame’s changes and the history of its use, so after consolidating and making safe the existing surface, it was cleaned and toned, lifting the appearance and unifying the gilding.
 
The painting of Dunkirk is one of a number of ‘war art’ paintings in the collection at Chartwell which were formerly owned by the Churchills. It has been hung on Chartwell’s staircase landing, alongside a painting of an equally iconic moment in time - the work ‘Some of the Few’ by Roy Nockolds, which depicts Hawker Hurricanes flying as part of the Battle of Britain.
 
For further information and opening times visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell