Rare Winston Churchill Painting Kept in a NOLA Family's Closet for Over 5 Decades Recently Sold for Millions by Angelina Jolie

A unique Winston Churchill painting that was gifted to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II and ended up in a New Orleans' family's home for about five decades before eventually making its way into actor Angelina Jolie's collection sold during a Monday, March 1 record-breaking auction at Christie's in London.

According to CNN, Churchill's "Tower of Koutoubia Mosque," has become his most expensive painting to sell at auction, fetching nearly $11.5 million after fees.

The former British Prime Minister's rare painting was sold by the Jolie Family Collection and features the long shadows and warm tones of a sunset in Marrakech, Morroco, which was a favorite subject of Churchill's to paint.

"Churchill first visited Morocco in 1935 where he fell in love with the quality of light there," said Nick Orchard, head of modern British art at Christie's in London, where the auction took place. "He felt that his paintings of the country were among his best."

The sale more than tripled its high estimate of £2.5 million ($3.5 million). Churchill's previous record was £1.7 million ($2.7 million) in 2014 at Sotheby's London, CNN reports.

The news outlet goes on to say that actor Brad Pitt bought Churchill's sunset scene as a gift to Jolie in 2011. The couple separated in 2016 after two years of marriage.