The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate a method for analyzing artistic style and its potential evolution using the Copilot AI platform. As a case study, I explore the paintings of Winston Churchill (1874–1965), the British Prime Minister, who was also a passionate and prolific painter. Although Churchill began painting in his forties, he produced over 500 works, with his final piece completed in 1962.
Churchill frequently painted scenes from Southern France and Morocco—locations he returned to repeatedly throughout his artistic life. Remarkably, he continued painting even after suffering multiple cerebrovascular accidents. Stroke-induced brain damage is typically detrimental to professional skills and creative expression. However, there are documented cases of individuals who not only recovered but also exhibited notable changes in their artistic output post-stroke.
As part of my research, I selected several pairs of Churchill’s paintings depicting the same locations or objects—created before and after his major stroke in June 1953. The goal was to examine whether this neurological event led to a discernible shift or impairment in his painting style.
In this 25-minute presentation, I will share with the community of educators and researchers my experience using Office 365’s Copilot AI to conduct this analysis. I will highlight how this tool can be applied to case studies involving evolution of artistic expression and style comparison.
