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Cecil Beaton

(1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writer

Sitter associated with 360 portraits
Artist associated with 1113 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 - NPG P219

Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1927
NPG P219

Cecil Beaton, by Anthony Wysard - NPG 6438

Cecil Beaton

by Anthony Wysard
pencil, ink and wash on board, 1930
NPG 6438

Cecil Beaton, by Pavel Tchelitchew - NPG 5306

Cecil Beaton

by Pavel Tchelitchew
gouache, 1934
NPG 5306

Cecil Beaton, by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent - NPG 6137

Cecil Beaton

by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent
pencil, chalk and wash, 1943
NPG 6137

Cecil Beaton, by Angus McBean - NPG P1294

Cecil Beaton

by Angus McBean
vintage bromide print, 1949
NPG P1294

Cecil Beaton, by Lewis Morley - NPG P512(2)

Cecil Beaton

by Lewis Morley
bromide print, 1960
NPG P512(2)

Cecil Beaton, by Arnold Newman - NPG P150(5)

Cecil Beaton

by Arnold Newman
bromide print, 1978
NPG P150(5)

Cecil Beaton, by Unknown photographer - NPG x40653

Cecil Beaton

by Unknown photographer
bromide postcard print, 1906
NPG x40653

Cecil Beaton, by Unknown photographer - NPG x40410

Cecil Beaton

by Unknown photographer
bromide print, 1910s
NPG x40410

Cecil Beaton, by Grigg - NPG x30310

Cecil Beaton

by Grigg
bromide print on tissue and card mount, circa 1920
NPG x30310

Cecil Beaton, by Hay Wrightson - NPG x30313

Cecil Beaton

by Hay Wrightson
sepia-toned bromide print on card and tissue mount, 1920s
NPG x30313

Cecil Beaton, by Lafayette - NPG x30312

Cecil Beaton

by Lafayette
bromide print on cream-toned paper, 1920s
NPG x30312

Cecil Beaton, by Peter North - NPG x30322

Cecil Beaton

by Peter North
cream-toned bromide print on page mount, 1920s
NPG x30322

Cecil Beaton, by Peter North - NPG x30323

Cecil Beaton

by Peter North
cream-toned bromide print on page mount, 1920s
NPG x30323

Cecil Beaton, by Peter North - NPG x30324

Cecil Beaton

by Peter North
cream-toned bromide print on page mount, 1920s
NPG x30324

Cecil Beaton, by Peter North - NPG x30325

Cecil Beaton

by Peter North
cream-toned bromide print on page mount, 1920s
NPG x30325

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