The iconic portrait by Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh is among the most reproduced photographs of the 20th century. The photo was taken in December 1941. It remains on the British five-pound note and has graced stamps and magazine covers.
The altercation of the photograph, known as the “Roaring Lion”, was discovered by an employee of the Château Laurier Hotel, located in the Canadian capital of Ottawa. He noted that the frame of the image did not match those of other works by photographer Yusuf Karsh that were displayed in the same room.
After an internal investigation, the hotel found that the photo had been replaced with a copy of the original.
Hotel officials said they had analyzed pictures sent in by members of the public with the portrait in the background to determine whether they included the original or the copy. They have established that the photograph was stolen in late 2021 or early 2022, about eight months ago.
