ANGELINA Jolie is auctioning off a Winston Churchill painting gifted by her ex-husband Brad Pitt, which is expected to bring in millions for the actress.
The late Prime Minister painted the piece in 1943 for Franklin D. Roosevelt.
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Earlier this week, Christie’s Auction house revealed that the painting would be auctioned off by the Academy Award-winning actress.
A source later disclosed to Page Six that the classic artwork was gifted to Angelina, 45, by her ex-husband Brad Pitt, 57.
The painting, called “Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque,” was the only piece that Churchill created during World War II.
The famed historical figure produced the work in January of that year, in Marrakech after the Casablanca Conference.
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Churchill invited FDR to the gathering so he could “share the views of the city and the light at sunset which he so revered,” the auction house shared.
The 32nd President was so moved by the scene that Churchill sought to paint it for his ally.
The head of Christie’s Modern British Art department explained: “‘Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque’ is therefore arguably the best painting by Winston Churchill due to the significance of the subject matter to him, and the fact that it highlights the importance of the friendship between the two leaders.
“The gifting of the work to Roosevelt underlines the fact that Churchill held the American President in such high regard and points to their joint efforts in guiding the Allied powers to the outcome of the Second World War.”
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Christie’s claims the illustration will go for somewhere between $2.1 million to $3.4 million when auctioned next month, more than any other Churchill work in the past.
An insider also told the publication that Angelina has had the piece since 2011 when it was bought from New Orleans antique dealer M.S. Rau for $2.95 million.
As Page Six’s sources have revealed, Brad was the purchaser of the painting which then fell into the Jolie Family Collection.
The famed actor and art collector reportedly bought the work as a gift for Angelina, after being inspired by his role in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.
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The A-List couple has also previously shown interest in the topic, as they visited the U.K. Churchill War Rooms together on a private tour.
Brad and Angelina have been in a nasty divorce battle since 2016.
Though the proceedings finally went through three years later in April of 2019, the ex-couple has still not found peace.
In an interview with British Vogue’s March Global Creativity issue published this week, the Hollywood star referenced their divorce.
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When asked if she was happy, the Maleficent actress explained: “I don’t know.
“The past few years have been pretty hard. I’ve been focusing on healing our family. It’s slowly coming back, like the ice melting and the blood returning to my body.
“I’m looking forward to my fifties – I feel that I’m gonna hit my stride in my fifties.”
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Angelina and Brad share six children – Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Shiloh, 15, Zahara, 16, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 12.
Their eldest, Maddox, has reportedly had a strained relationship with his father since an altercation that took place between his parents in 2015.
