The British Prime Minister was a plastic artist and writer

Moroccan "Marrakesh" inspired Winston Churchill, his most important paintings

• The British leader visited the Red City six times in 23 years to escape the fog of London and the storms of politics.

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• Churchill gifted the auctioned painting today to Roosevelt, before one of the latter's sons sold it in the 1950s.

  It was then re-sold several times, until 2011 settled in Angelina Jolie's hands.

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The Moroccan city of Marrakesh inspired a number of paintings by the famous British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who was also a plastic artist and writer, the most prominent of which is a painting depicting the historic silo of the Koutoubia Mosque in the Hamra, which Christie's is auctioning today in London.

Churchill (1874-1965) painted this painting in 1943 while he was in Marrakech, during a visit to Morocco to participate in the Anfa conference, which was held by the Allies in Casablanca, in the midst of World War II.

Today, it is the site of auctions ranging from 1.7 to 2.8 million euros, according to Christie's auction house.

The painting, which is being offered for sale by the American Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, is "Churchill's most important work, given its close connection with the history of the 20th century," according to what British art historian Barry Phipps wrote in the auction guide.

The conservative British leader began painting at the age of 40.

As for his love for the red city and its lights, it began in the thirties of the last century, when Morocco was under French and Spanish protection.

And he visited it six times in 23 years, to escape the fog of London and the storms of politics.

Expressing his admiration for Marrakesh, he wrote in the British newspaper "Daily Mail" in 1936: "Here, in the vast palm oases that emanate from the desert, the traveler is sure that he will enjoy endless sunshine and the scenery of the majestic Atlas Mountains covered with snow."

Churchill liked to hang out among the alleys of the old city and stroll the heights of the nearby Ourika Valley.

He enjoyed the scenery of the outskirts of Marrakesh from the balcony of the famous Mamounia Hotel, where he painted his paintings, or from Taylor's villa, where he would sometimes stay.

In this villa, which in the seventies became a pilgrimage to wealthy Europe, Churchill painted his famous painting "The Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque", after his participation in January 1943 in the Anfa conference alongside the then American President Franklin Roosevelt, the leader of the Free France Forces, General Charles de Gaulle, and the King of Morocco, Mohammed V With the aim of setting the Allied strategy in World War II.

Today, this villa belongs to the Moroccan royal family, and is no longer available to visit.

And from what was reported, quoting from Churchill's surroundings at the time, that he told Roosevelt: "You cannot cross all the way to North Africa without visiting Marrakech, I must be with you to watch the sun set over the peaks of the Atlas."

A press photo taken during this period shows the two historic leaders contemplating the sunset on the scene from which Churchill inspired his painting of Koutoubia.

Churchill gifted the painting to Roosevelt before one of the latter's sons sold it in the 1950s.

Then it was sold back several times, until in 2011 it settled in the hands of American movie stars Angelina Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt, before their separation.

"A scene in Marrakesh", for 578 thousand euros

Churchill's first visit to Marrakech in 1935 resulted in another painting entitled "A Scene in Marrakech", which will also be put up for sale in today's "Christie's" auction.

The price of this painting is estimated between 340 and 578 thousand euros.

During that first visit, Churchill painted seven paintings at the Mamounia Hotel, where he stayed.

Work has also begun on composing a biography of his grandfather, General Mallorborough, according to one of his granddaughters while visiting Morocco in 2012 to commemorate his memory.

Churchill spoke frequently of his admiration for the Mamounia Hotel, describing in one of his letters to his wife Clementine "a really wonderful scene" from his room.

• The painting that Christie's is showing at auction today is from Angelina Jolie's collection, and depicts the silo of the Koutoubia Mosque.

• Churchill told Roosevelt: "You cannot cross the road to North Africa without visiting Marrakech."

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