Photographed by Yousuf Karsh in 1941, “The Roaring Lion” was captured soon after Churchill addressed Canada’s parliament about the war.
The image was discovered on Wednesday in the possession of a private buyer in Genoa, Italy, who was not aware that it had been reported stolen, according to Ottawa police.
A Powassan, Ontario, man was also detained by authorities in relation to the theft and illegal sale.
The 43-year-old man is charged with multiple crimes in Canada, including theft, property damage, forgery, and trafficking. His name is prohibited from publication.
According to authorities, he was taken into custody on April 25 and showed up in Ottawa court the next day.
The famous picture captures Churchill, the British prime minister during the war, standing on Parliament Hill just after Karsh famously removed his cigar from his mouth.
“I offered him an ashtray, but he refused to get rid of it.I waited as he kept crunching away at his cigar. Karsh subsequently recalled, “I waited.”
“Then I stepped toward him and, without premeditation, but ever respectfully, I said, ‘Forgive me, sir’ and plucked the cigar from his mouth.”
Karsh stated that Churchill appeared “so belligerent he could have devoured me” by the time he got back to his camera.
