Winston Churchill

Copied William M. McVey, Winston Churchill, before 1966, bronze, 23 7810 188 in. (60.523.120.4 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of William M. McVey, 1966.18

Artwork Details

Title
Winston Churchill
Date
before 1966
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
23 7810 188 in. (60.523.120.4 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of William M. McVey
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Keywords
  • Occupation — other — aristocrat
  • Occupation — political — statesman
  • Portrait male — Churchill, Winston
Object Number
1966.18

Artwork Description

William McVey made this sculpture of Winston Churchill as a model for a larger bronze statue that was placed in front of the British Embassy in 1966. Churchill leans on a cane, his right hand signaling a V for victory, his left holding a cigar. The striding figure was intended to straddle the line between the British territory of the embassy and the American soil of Washington, symbolizing Churchill’s dual citizenship and the ties between Great Britain and the United States.