OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Authorities in Canada have successfully located a famous portrait of Winston Churchill that was stolen from a hotel in Ottawa. The artwork has been found in Italy, according to Canadian police.
Law enforcement officials are planning to travel to Rome later this month to bring back the 1941 portrait, which was captured by renowned Ottawa photographer Yousuf Karsh, as stated in a police announcement.
Once the portrait is back in Ottawa and under police protection, it will be returned to the Fairmont Château Laurier hotel, where it will be prominently displayed as a significant piece of history.
The painting, known as “The Roaring Lion,” was reportedly stolen from the Fairmont Château Laurier sometime between December 25, 2021, and January 6, 2022. A fake replacement was put in its place, and the crime wasn’t discovered until several months later, in August, when a hotel employee noticed that the frame was not hanging properly and looked different from the others.
After some investigation, it was revealed that the portrait had been auctioned off in London and purchased by a buyer in Italy, both of whom were unaware that the artwork had been stolen. Thanks to tips from the public, forensic analysis, and international collaboration, the authorities were able to identify those responsible for the theft.
Nicola Cassinelli, a lawyer in Genoa, Italy, bought the portrait in May 2022 for £5,292 at an online auction held by Sotheby’s. In October of that same year, he received a call from the auction house notifying him not to sell or transfer the painting due to an ongoing investigation into its theft from Ottawa.
Cassinelli expressed his surprise at discovering that the solution to a high-profile art heist might have been hanging in his living room all along. He plans to attend a ceremony at the Canadian Embassy in Rome next Thursday to celebrate the portrait’s return.
During a press conference held at the hotel on Wednesday, Geneviève Dumas, the general manager of the Fairmont Château Laurier, explained that the theft occurred during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everything was closed, so we have narrowed the time frame down to about 12 days,” Dumas stated. “With no one in the hotel, we didn’t discover it until eight months later.”
Detective Akiva Gellar from the Ottawa police mentioned that recovering the portrait involved an extensive investigation that spanned over two years. However, he was unable to provide many details, as much of the case remains sensitive and is currently before the courts.
“Many specifics about how we recovered it will be discussed during the ceremony in Rome,” Gellar explained. “After we get the portrait back in Canada, we can share more information.”
In April, police arrested a 43-year-old man from Powassan, Ontario, who has been charged with stealing and trafficking the portrait. His name is not being disclosed due to a publication ban. The charges against him include forgery, theft over $5,000, and trafficking in stolen property valued above $5,000.
This iconic portrait of Churchill was taken by Karsh during the British leader’s visit to the Canadian Parliament in December 1941, and it played a crucial role in launching Karsh’s career. He would go on to photograph many notable figures of the 20th century, including Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, and Queen Elizabeth II.
