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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.

List Thumbnail

x40413

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1925
NPG x40413

x40415

Cecil Beaton; Stephen Tennant

by Maurice Beck and Helen Macgregor
cream-toned vintage bromide print, 1927
NPG x40415

x40409

Cecil Beaton and his friends

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, October 1927
NPG x40409

x40430

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
velox snapshot print, late 1920s
NPG x40430

x20034

Cecil Beaton

by Curtis Moffat, and Olivia Wyndham
bromide print, circa 1928
NPG x20034

x49751

Cecil Beaton

by Lafayette (Lafayette Ltd)
whole-plate film negative, 14 June 1928
NPG x49751

x49754

Cecil Beaton

by Lafayette (Lafayette Ltd)
whole-plate film negative, 14 June 1928
NPG x49754

x49755

Cecil Beaton

by Lafayette (Lafayette Ltd)
whole-plate film negative, 14 June 1928
NPG x49755

x40414

Cecil Beaton

by Curtis Moffat
bromide print, circa 1928
NPG x40414

x30316

Cecil Beaton

by Curtis Moffat, and Olivia Wyndham
bromide print on card mount with green tint, circa 1928
NPG x30316

x30315

Cecil Beaton

by Curtis Moffat, and Olivia Wyndham
bromide print on grey mount with red tint, circa 1928
NPG x30315

x24832

Cecil Beaton

by Ben Pinchot
vintage print, 1930-1939
NPG x24832

x40429

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
vintage print, 1930s
NPG x40429

x134481

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1930s
NPG x134481

x40537

Cecil Beaton

by Bert Longworth
vintage contact print from 10 x 8 inch negative, 1930s
NPG x40537

x40421

Cecil Beaton

by Baron George Hoyningen-Huene
vintage bromide print, 1930
NPG x40421

x40423

Cecil Beaton

by George Hurrell
bromide print, 1930s
NPG x40423

x40432

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide fibre print, 1930s
NPG x40432

x40656

Baba Beaton; Cecil Beaton

by Associated Press
bromide press print, circa 1930
NPG x40656

Links
All paintings by this artist on the BBC Your Paintings website
Category
Art
Literature, Journalism and Publishing
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Photographers
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London
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Wiltshire