WinstonChurchill(30November1874–24January1965)wasaBritishpoliticianknownchieflyforhisleadershipoftheUnitedKingdomduringWorldWarII.HeservedasPrimeMinisteroftheUnitedKingdomfrom1940to1945andagainfrom1951to1955.Anotedstatesmanandorator,ChurchillwasalsoanofficerintheBritishArmy,historian,writer,andartist.HeistheonlyBritishPrimeMinisterwhohaseverreceivedtheNobelPrizeforLiterature.

　　Duringhisarmycareer,ChurchillsawactioninIndia,intheSudanandtheSecondBoerWar.Hegainedfameandnotorietyasawarcorrespondentandthroughcontemporarybookshewrotedescribingthecampaigns.HealsoservedbrieflyintheBritishArmyontheWesternFrontinWorldWarI,commandingthe6thBattalionoftheRoyalScotsFusiliers.

　　Attheforefrontofthepoliticalsceneforalmostfiftyyears,heheldmanypoliticalandcabinetpositions.BeforetheFirstWorldWar,heservedasPresidentoftheBoardofTrade,HomeSecretaryandFirstLordoftheAdmiraltyaspartoftheAsquithLiberalgovernment.DuringthewarhecontinuedasFirstLordoftheAdmiraltyuntilthedisastrousBattleofGallipolicausedhisdeparturefromgovernment.HereturnedasMinisterofMunitions,SecretaryofStateforWarandSecretaryofStateforAir.Intheinterwaryears,heservedasChancelloroftheExchequerintheConservativegovernment.

　　AftertheoutbreakoftheSecondWorldWar,ChurchillwasagainappointedFirstLordoftheAdmiralty.FollowingtheresignationofNevilleChamberlainon10May1940,hebecamePrimeMinisteroftheUnitedKingdomandledBritaintovictoryagainsttheAxispowers.Churchillwasalwaysnotedforhisspeeches,whichbecameagreatinspirationtotheBritishpeopleandembattledAlliedforces.

　　Afterlosingthe1945election,hebecameLeaderoftheOpposition.In1951,heagainbecamePrimeMinisterbeforefinallyretiringin1955.UponhisdeaththeQueengrantedhimthehonourofastatefuneral,whichsawoneofthelargestassembliesofstatesmenintheworld.

　　WinstonChurchillwasalsoanaccomplishedartistandtookgreatpleasureinpainting,especiallyafterhisresignationasFirstLordoftheAdmiraltyin1915.Hefoundahaveninarttoovercomethespellsofdepression—orashetermedit,the"BlackDog"—whichhesufferedthroughouthislife.AsWilliamRees-Mogghasstated,"Inhisownlife,hehadtosufferthe'blackdog'ofdepression.Inhislandscapesandstilllivesthereisnosignofdepression".Heisbestknownforhisimpressionistscenesoflandscape,manyofwhichwerepaintedwhileonholidayintheSouthofFrance,EgyptorMorocco.Hecontinuedhishobbythroughouthislifeandpaintedhundredsofpaintings,manyofwhichareonshowinthestudioatChartwellaswellasprivatecollections.Mostofhispaintingsareoil-basedandfeaturelandscapes,buthealsodidanumberofinteriorscenesandportraits.

　　Despitehislifelongfameandupper-classoriginsChurchillalwaysstruggledtokeephisincomeatalevelthatwouldfundhisextravagantlifestyle.MPsbefore1946receivedonlyanominalsalary(andinfactdidnotreceiveanythingatalluntiltheParliamentAct1911)somanyhadsecondaryprofessionsfromwhichtoearnaliving.Fromhisfirstbookin1898untilhissecondstintasPrimeMinister,Churchill'sincomewasalmostentirelymadefromwritingbooksandopinionpiecesfornewspapersandmagazines.Themostfamousofhisnewspaperarticl