Canadian police have recovered a renowned portrait of Winston Churchill that was reported stolen from an Ottawa hotel, locating it in Italy.
Investigators are scheduled to travel to Rome later this month to retrieve the portrait, taken in 1941 by Ottawa photographer Yousuf Karsh. The police indicated that once the portrait is secured, it will be returned to the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, where it will resume its place as a significant historic portrait.
The portrait, known as “The Roaring Lion,” was stolen from the Fairmont Château Laurier between Christmas Day 2021 and January 6, 2022. It was replaced with a counterfeit that went unnoticed until August of that year, when a hotel employee observed discrepancies in the framing.
Authorities determined that the portrait had been sold through a London auction house to an unsuspecting buyer in Italy. Thanks to public tips, forensic analysis, and international cooperation, investigators were able to track down the individual responsible for the heist.
Nicola Cassinelli, a lawyer in Genoa, Italy, purchased the portrait in May 2022 at an online Sotheby’s auction for 5,292 British pounds. He received a call from the auction house in October advising him not to sell or transfer the portrait, as it was part of an ongoing investigation into the Ottawa theft. Cassinelli was taken aback to discover that the high-profile stolen artwork was hanging on his living room wall. He plans to attend a ceremony at the Canadian Embassy in Rome next Thursday to mark the portrait’s return.
During a press conference at the hotel, Geneviève Dumas, general manager of the Fairmont Château Laurier, explained that the theft took place at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everything was closed, and we narrowed the gap to 12 days,” Dumas noted. “The way that happened, there was nobody in the hotel and we discovered it only eight months later.”
Ottawa police Det. Akiva Gellar characterized the investigation as “very extensive,” spanning over two years. While he provided few specifics, Gellar acknowledged that much of the investigation remains sensitive due to ongoing court proceedings.
“A lot of the details about how we found it, and further details will be released during the ceremony in Rome,” he said. “And later down the road, once we have the portrait back in Canada, we will be able to speak more about that.”
In April, police arrested a 43-year-old man from Powassan, Ontario, who has been charged with stealing and trafficking the portrait. The man’s name is under a publication ban. He faces charges including forgery, theft over $5,000, and trafficking in property obtained by crime exceeding $5,000.
The iconic image of Churchill was captured by Karsh during the British leader’s visit to the Canadian Parliament in December 1941. This portrait helped launch Karsh’s illustrious career, which included photographing some of the 20th century’s most notable figures, such as Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, and Queen Elizabeth.
