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Cecil Beaton

(1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writer

Sitter associated with 360 portraits
Artist associated with 1114 portraits
Cecil Beaton was one of the leading British photographers of the twentieth century. Beaton's early studio portraits of debutantes and celebrities often involved elaborate theatrical backdrops, and helped define the image of the 'Bright young thing'. Beaton was also an acclaimed designer for film and the stage, including My Fair Lady (1956), the musical based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion. He won three Oscars for costume and art direction for the film version of My Fair Lady (1965) and for Gigi (1958). A major retrospective of Beaton's portraits in 1968 was the first exhibition the National Portrait Gallery had devoted to a photographer.

More on Beaton: Cecil Beaton's Bright Young Things

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Cecil Beaton, by Cecil Beaton, distributed by  Special Press - NPG x40676

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton, distributed by Special Press
bromide press print, May 1932
NPG x40676

Cecil Beaton, possibly by Bert Longworth - NPG x40433

Cecil Beaton

possibly by Bert Longworth
vintage yellowed bromide print, 1932
NPG x40433

Cecil Beaton, possibly by Bert Longworth - NPG x40434

Cecil Beaton

possibly by Bert Longworth
cream-toned copy bromide print, 1932
NPG x40434

Cecil Beaton, by Ernest A. Bachrach - NPG x30320

Cecil Beaton

by Ernest A. Bachrach
cream-toned bromide print on card mount, 1932
NPG x30320

Lady Ottoline Morrell; Cecil Beaton, possibly by Cecil Beaton - NPG Ax143588

Lady Ottoline Morrell; Cecil Beaton

possibly by Cecil Beaton
vintage snapshot print, Summer 1933
NPG Ax143588

Lady Ottoline Morrell; Cecil Beaton, possibly by Cecil Beaton - NPG Ax143588a

Lady Ottoline Morrell; Cecil Beaton

possibly by Cecil Beaton
sepia-toned snapshot print enlargement, Summer 1933
NPG Ax143588a

Cecil Beaton, by Francis Goodman - NPG x68801

Cecil Beaton

by Francis Goodman
film copy negative, 1933
NPG x68801

Cecil Beaton, by Baron George Hoyningen-Huene - NPG x40421

Cecil Beaton

by Baron George Hoyningen-Huene
vintage bromide print, November 1933
NPG x40421

Cecil Beaton, by Cecil Beaton - NPG x40424

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, April 1933
NPG x40424

Cecil Beaton, by Cecil Beaton - NPG x40418

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide contact print, 1934
NPG x40418

Cecil Beaton, by Cecil Beaton - NPG x40419

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
vintage 10 x 8 inch contact print, 1934
NPG x40419

Cecil Beaton, by Gordon Anthony - NPG x137027

Cecil Beaton

by Gordon Anthony
vintage print, 1935
NPG x137027

Cecil Beaton, by Dorothy Wilding - NPG x4379

Cecil Beaton

by Dorothy Wilding
chlorobromide print, 1937
NPG x4379

Cecil Beaton, by Dorothy Wilding - NPG x13699

Cecil Beaton

by Dorothy Wilding
chlorobromide print on tissue and card mount, 1937
NPG x13699

Cecil Beaton, by Gordon Anthony - NPG x44779

Cecil Beaton

by Gordon Anthony
modern bromide print from original negative, 1937
NPG x44779

'England Expects', by Baker - NPG x196225

'England Expects'

by Baker
bromide print, 1937
NPG x196225

Cecil Beaton, by Paul Tanqueray - NPG x44847a

Cecil Beaton

by Paul Tanqueray
resin contact print from original negative, 1937
NPG x44847a

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