A DUNKIRK STATE OF MIND

And Arrabella Churchill's Paintings

Today, June 4, 2018, is the 78th Anniversary of the end of Operation Dynamo, better known in cinematic circles as the evacuation of Dunkirk.

If, like us, you have begun to feel as though trapped on a spit of land with the Fascist forces closing in on all sides, then, like us, take heart from the example of Dunkirk. All is not lost. Surely the boats are coming. If only a Churchill would arise.

In this spirit, we share with you a rare World War II advertising poster, headlined “A BRITON’S CREED,” that quotes Churchill’s iconic words in the aftermath of Dunkirk delivered in his historic address to Parliament on Tuesday June 4, 1940:

“We shall go on to the end… we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air… We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be… We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills…. We shall never surrender….”

As applicable today as ever.

Arabella Churchill’s Dunkirk Paintings

On a lighter note, Sotheby’s will be auctioning in London on June 12 and 13 a number of paintings by Winston Churchill, including two that were originaly owned by Churchill’s granddaughter Arabella.

We, too, have a painting of Winston Churchill’s that came to the store by direct descent from the late-Arabella Churchill (straight out of the painting studio at Chartwell). We therefore found this profile of Arabella Churchill in Sotheby’s current online magazine quite fascinating and decided to share it with you, along with a picture of “SILVER LIFE;” originally her painting, now in our window.