It may be strange and surreal, but John Spencer-Churchill’s (1909-92) landscape panorama of the evacuation of Dunkirk is the only depiction of the event known to have been painted by an eyewitness.
When it went under the hammer at Lindsay Burns (20% buyer’s premium) in Perth on December 6 with an estimate of £800-1200, competition was fierce. It eventually sold to London dealer Andrew Sim at £26,000.
The 3ft 4in x 5ft 4in (1 x 1.64m) oil shows the evacuation on Wednesday, May 29, 1940 looking towards Dunkirk from the Bray Dunes.