Typed letter, signed Graham Sutherland to Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook. Annotated and corrected in pen by the author. Sutherland took to portraiture relatively late in his career, his first portrait was of Somerset Maugham. Following completion of the Maugham portrait Sutherland went on to paint Beaverbrook. This portrait was derided as had the one of Maugham but Beaverbrook was pleased with the work. It was on the back of this that Beaverbrook, proposed that Sutherland paint Churchill. As is now well known the completed portrait was detested by Winston and Lady Churchill. Churchill wrote to Lord Moran describing the painting as ‘filthy and malignant’. He then sent a letter to the Sutherlands saying the portrait ‘is not suitable as a presentation from both Houses of Parliament’ and that he didn’t want it to be part of the ceremony. The process by which the painting was produced was typical of Sutherland’s practice and involved a great number of sketches, and studies, most of which were acquired by Beaverbrook. The current letter details the acquisition of these sketches and a number of others of Somerset Maugham and Edward Sackville-West and the prices agreed. Sutherland asks for two charcoal sketches of Churchill be returned, “..I would like to do some more work on them, as I am not happy with them as they are. If I am still not happy after having done some more work on them, I undertake to destroy them.” “I thought it would be of possible historic interest to have in your collection the sheet of eye studies oif Churchill, done at my last sitting, with my written comments. If you would care to accept this, I would gladly present this to you as well.” Sutherland details a number of other Churchill sketches which he wishes to keep for himself as a souvenir, although he is prepared to let Beaverbrook have a three quarter profile in oil for £200. Sutherland goes on to discuss the mounting and framing of the drawings - which will be undertaken by Alfred Hecht. Hecht was gifted another study of Churchill which sold at Sothebys in June 2024 for £660k. Alfred Hecht was a German-Jewish refugee who moved to London in the 1920s, who set up his frame shop on the King's Road. Hecht's trademark gilt and glazed frames with coloured mounts in an incredibly modern style were frequently used by London galleries and artists of the time. Fine, punched holes on left margin for filing.