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Cecil Beaton (1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writer

Sitter associated with 314 portraits
Artist associated with 1051 portraits
Born in Hampstead, Beaton became interested in photography as a young boy, inspired by postcards showing actresses of the period. His career as a portrait photographer took off after meeting the Sitwells in 1926. In 1927 he signed his first contract with Vogue, with which he was associated throughout his life. During the war he worked for the Ministry of Information, recording the war in Britain, the Middle and Far East. After the war he developed as a designer for stage, film, ballet and opera, working with Noel Coward and others. His most famous stage production was My Fair Lady (1956), the musical based on Shaw's Pygmalion. He was awarded two Oscars for the film version in 1965.

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P352

Siegfried Loraine Sassoon

by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print, 1920s
NPG P352

P55

Sir William Turner Walton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1926
NPG P55

P219

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1927
NPG P219

P456

Madge Garland

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1927
NPG P456

P867

Dame Edith Sitwell

by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print, 1927
NPG P867

P868

Dame Edith Sitwell

by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print, 1928
NPG P868

P181

Sylvia Townsend Warner

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1930
NPG P181

P182

Sylvia Townsend Warner

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1930
NPG P182

P183

Sylvia Townsend Warner

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1930
NPG P183

6231

Michael Arlen

by Cecil Beaton
pencil, 1930s?
NPG 6231

P869(3)

W.H. Auden

by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print on white card mount, 1930
NPG P869(3)

P1353

Lady Cynthia Blanche Mosley (née Curzon)

by Cecil Beaton
gelatin silver print, 1931
NPG P1353

P1041

Elisabeth Bergner

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print on card mount, 1934
NPG P1041

P262

Chateau Cande, France

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1936
NPG P262

P869(17)

Aldous Huxley

by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print on white card mount, 1936
NPG P869(17)

Links
All paintings by this artist on the BBC Your Paintings website
Places
London
United States
Wiltshire