OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The iconic portrait of Winston Churchill, known as “The Roaring Lion,” which was stolen and replaced with a forgery during the pandemic, has successfully returned to the Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. This much-awaited recovery was made possible after two detectives from the Ottawa police traveled to Rome to bring the artwork back home.
The portrait was originally taken from the hotel sometime between Christmas Day 2021 and January 6, 2022. It was replaced with a counterfeit version, and the swap went unnoticed for several months. It wasn’t until August that a sharp-eyed hotel employee recognized something was amiss when they observed the frame was not properly hung and looked different from the others.
On Friday, Genevieve Dumas, the hotel’s general manager, celebrated the painting’s return at a gathering attended by Ottawa’s mayor and many others. “I can assure you that it is armed, locked, and secured,” she stated, emphasizing the precautions taken to protect the piece.
She added that while the staff was hanging the portrait, they accidentally triggered the alarm. “I’m sure they heard it all the way on Parliament Hill!” she humorously noted.
Renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh captured this famous image of Churchill in 1941, shortly after the wartime leader delivered an inspiring address to Canadian lawmakers from the Speaker’s office. Karsh later signed and donated the portrait to the hotel, where he had resided and worked.
Recently, police reported that the portrait had been sold at auction in London and resided in the possession of a private buyer—both parties were unaware of its stolen status. Authorities have since charged a man from Powassan, Ontario, with forgery, theft, and trafficking in connection with this case, which is now proceeding through the courts.
Nicola Cassinelli, a lawyer in Genoa who purchased the artwork, expressed his sentiments in a message during the ceremony. “The magnificent photograph by Yousuf Karsh captures the pride, anger, and strength of the free world reflected in Sir Winston Churchill’s eyes. It symbolizes, more profoundly than any other, the quest for good to triumph over evil,” he said. He also acknowledged that, despite having the “extraordinary privilege” of having it in his home, “The Roaring Lion” rightfully belongs to the public.
