May 7, 2015

Finest Hour 115, Summer 2002

Page 07

Bernard Hailstone (1910-1987) was known for his portraits of royalty, the military, musicians and personalities of stage and screen; less well known, but among his best work, are his paintings of the Blitz, during which he served as a fireman. An official artist to the wartime Ministry of Transport, he recorded the life of the Atlantic and Mediterranean convoys. In 1944 he was sent to South East Asia Command to paint Lord Mountbatten and members of his staff. Much of his work hangs in the Imperial War Museum. Generous and warm-hearted, Hailstone was very good company, and never so happy as when dining in the Chelsea Arts Club. His elder brother Harold was a well known Punch artist and illustrator.

This is the second Hailstone portrait to adorn a FH cover, the first being a 1955 work on issue 47 in Spring 1985. At that time we thought it was the last painting of Churchill from life; but this 1957 work came later.

This fine oil is offered by Artware Fine Art (www.artwarefineart.com), 18 La Gare, 51 Surrey Row, London SE1 OBZ. Please contact Greg PageTurner, tel. (44+207) 921-9704, fax (44+207) 921-9709 or email to: [email protected].

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