Angelina Jolie Just Sold This Lavish Gift From Brad Pitt

The Art Newspaper reports that the highest price ever paid for a Churchill original was formerly 1.7 million pounds — almost 2.4 million US dollars. The Tower painting was expected to sell for a cool $2-3 million, but ended up going for nearly $12 million. People cited a press release that explains the significance of the painting, saying, "Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque was created following the Casablanca Conference where it was agreed by the Allied forces that only complete surrender by the Axis powers would be acceptable. It is the only work that Churchill painted during the war, perhaps encouraged by the recent progress made by the Allies in what he considered to be one of the most beautiful countries he had encountered."

The head of modern British art at Christie's, Nick Orchard, also noted that the painting is "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."

Page Six explained that Brad Pitt originally bought the painting for $2.95 million in 2011 and gave it to his then-girlfriend Angelina Jolie. The outlet notes that Pitt's film, Inglourious Basterds likely inspired his affinity for Churchill work during the Second World War. Following their split, the piece stayed in Jolie's possession, and now has made its way into the hands of an avid Churchill painting collector.