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Yevonde

(1893-1975), Photographer

Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers))

Sitter in 15 portraits
Artist associated with 898 portraits
Yevonde, also known as Madame Yevonde, was a London-based photographer of portraits and still life throughout much of the twentieth century. She was a pioneer in photographic techniques, experimenting with solarisation and associated particularly with the Vivex colour process, which she utilised to great effect in the 1930s. ‘If we are going to have colour photographs, for heaven’s sake let’s have a riot of colour, none of your wishy washy hand tinted effects’ said Yevonde in 1932 in an address to the Royal Photographic Society.

As an innovator committed to colour photography when it was not considered a serious medium, Yevonde’s work is significant in the history of British portrait photography. Her most renowned body of work is a series of women dressed as goddesses posed in surreal tableaux exhibited in 1935.

For research and Yevonde Collection enquiries email: [email protected] or [email protected]

For access to Yevonde’s daybooks and archive materials email: [email protected]

To license and use images of Yevonde’s colour work please visit NPG Images or email [email protected]

To license and use images of Yevonde’s black and white work please visit Mary Evans Picture Library or email [email protected]

Other repositories include the Royal Photographic Society Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Council Visual Arts Collection.

Explore further:

Yevonde: Life and Colour exhibition webpage

Curator's introduction to the Yevonde: Life and Colour exhibition

The Yevonde colour archive

'Assisting Yevonde' blog post

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Gladys Buchanan Unger, by Yevonde - NPG x194473

Gladys Buchanan Unger

by Yevonde
gelatin silver print, 1910s
NPG x194473

Helen Venetia (née Duncombe), Viscountess D'Abernon, by Yevonde - NPG x11644

Helen Venetia (née Duncombe), Viscountess D'Abernon

by Yevonde
bromide print on card mount, published 1 April 1914
NPG x11644

Venetia (née Duncombe), Viscountess D'Abernon, by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers)) - NPG x202502

Venetia (née Duncombe), Viscountess D'Abernon

by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers))
10 x 8 inches glass plate negative, Published 1 April 1914
NPG x202502

Doris Louise Cleghorn Church (née Somerville), by Yevonde - NPG x136558

Doris Louise Cleghorn Church (née Somerville)

by Yevonde
halftone reproduction tear sheet, published 21 July 1915
NPG x136558

Doris Louise Cleghorn Church (née Somerville), by Yevonde - NPG x136559

Doris Louise Cleghorn Church (née Somerville)

by Yevonde
matte collodion printing-out paper print, 1915
NPG x136559

Jean Cavendish, by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers)) - NPG x193468

Jean Cavendish

by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers))
halftone reproduction tear sheet, published 14 February 1917
On display at The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NPG x193468

Gaby Deslys, by Yevonde - NPG x11647

Gaby Deslys

by Yevonde
sepia print mounted on card, 1918
NPG x11647

Gladys Helen Rachel (née Goldsmid), Lady Swaythling, by Yevonde - NPG x26348

Gladys Helen Rachel (née Goldsmid), Lady Swaythling

by Yevonde
bromide print on velvet card mount, 1918
NPG x26348

Gaby Deslys, by Yevonde - NPG x11646

Gaby Deslys

by Yevonde
sepia print mounted on card, 1918
NPG x11646

Lydia Lopokova, by Yevonde - NPG x131743

Lydia Lopokova

by Yevonde
black and white reprint, 1920s
NPG x131743

Edward Verrall Lucas, by Yevonde - NPG x194132

Edward Verrall Lucas

by Yevonde
vintage print, 1920s
NPG x194132

Ivy Duke, by Yevonde, printed by  Lilywhite Ltd - NPG x198107

Ivy Duke

by Yevonde, printed by Lilywhite Ltd
hand-coloured bromide postcard print, 1920s
NPG x198107

Olga Lindo, by Yevonde - NPG x198126

Olga Lindo

by Yevonde
bromide postcard print, 1920s
NPG x198126

Unknown woman, by Yevonde - NPG x198149

Unknown woman

by Yevonde
bromide postcard print, 1920s
NPG x198149

Mary Borden, Lady Spears, by Yevonde - NPG x196084

Mary Borden, Lady Spears

by Yevonde
gelatin silver copy print, 1920s
NPG x196084

Dacia (Dacia Allwood), by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers)) - NPG x193469

Dacia (Dacia Allwood)

by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers))
halftone reproduction tear sheet, published 3 March 1920
On display at The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NPG x193469

Meum Stewart, by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers)) - NPG x193470

Meum Stewart

by Yevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers))
colour relief halftone reproduction tear sheet, published 8 November 1922
On display at The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NPG x193470

Yevonde as Harlequin, by Yevonde - NPG x11823

Yevonde as Harlequin

by Yevonde
chlorobromide print on black paper mount, 1923
On display at The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NPG x11823

Gabrielle Enthoven, by Yevonde - NPG x131759

Gabrielle Enthoven

by Yevonde
chlorobromide print on tissue and card mount, 14 October 1924
NPG x131759

Lady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig (later Alexandra Trevor-Roper, Lady Dacre), by Yevonde - NPG x182269

Lady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig (later Alexandra Trevor-Roper, Lady Dacre)

by Yevonde
bromide print on tissue and card mount, 19 December 1924
NPG x182269

Hon. Diana Elizabeth Margaret Skeffington, by Yevonde - NPG x182253

Hon. Diana Elizabeth Margaret Skeffington

by Yevonde
bromide print on tissue and card mount, 25 March 1926
NPG x182253

A.A. Milne, by Yevonde - NPG x17368

A.A. Milne

by Yevonde
photogravure mounted on tissue and cream card, circa 1926
On display at The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NPG x17368

Lady Victoria Doris Rachel Haig, by Yevonde - NPG x182250

Lady Victoria Doris Rachel Haig

by Yevonde
bromide print on tissue and card mount, 25 October 1927
NPG x182250

Lady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig (later Alexandra Trevor-Roper, Lady Dacre), by Yevonde - NPG x182277

Lady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig (later Alexandra Trevor-Roper, Lady Dacre)

by Yevonde
bromide print on tissue and card mount, 25 February 1927
NPG x182277

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