Search the Collection

Benjamin Britten

(1913-1976), Composer

(Edward) Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten

Sitter in 120 portraits
Artist of 5 portraits
Born in Lowestoft, Britten was taught by Frank Bridge and won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1930. Britten emigrated to the USA in 1939 with his friend Peter Pears (who went on to become his partner) returning in 1942. Peter Grimes, the first of Britten's ten operas, was written for Pears, designed by Kenneth Green for the reopening of Sadler's Wells in 1945. Billy Budd (1951) was commissioned for the Festival of Britain and the War Requiem (1962) for the consecration of Coventry Cathedral. Lifelong partners, they started the Aldeburgh Festival in 1948, and in 1972 founded the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies.

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Make a donation Close

List Thumbnail

Eric John Crozier; Benjamin Britten; Sir (William) Tyrone Guthrie, by Maria Austria (Marie Karoline Oestreicher) - NPG x15219

Eric John Crozier; Benjamin Britten; Sir (William) Tyrone Guthrie

by Maria Austria (Marie Karoline Oestreicher)
bromide print, 1948
NPG x15219

E.M. Forster; Benjamin Britten, by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman) - NPG x15222

E.M. Forster; Benjamin Britten

by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1949
NPG x15222

Benjamin Britten; Ronald Duncan; Peter Pears, by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman) - NPG x15221

Benjamin Britten; Ronald Duncan; Peter Pears

by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1950
NPG x15221

Benjamin Britten; Peter Pears, by Felicitas - NPG x15225

Benjamin Britten; Peter Pears

by Felicitas
postcard print, 1950s
NPG x15225

E.M. Forster; Benjamin Britten; Eric John Crozier, by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman) - NPG x15223

E.M. Forster; Benjamin Britten; Eric John Crozier

by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1950
NPG x15223

Peter Pears; Kathleen Ferrier; Benjamin Britten, by Unknown photographer - NPG x15229

Peter Pears; Kathleen Ferrier; Benjamin Britten

by Unknown photographer
bromide print, 1952
NPG x15229

Benjamin Britten; Julius Katchen, by Fox Photos Ltd - NPG x15230

Benjamin Britten; Julius Katchen

by Fox Photos Ltd
bromide print, 1954
NPG x15230

Benjamin Britten; Peter Pears, by Unknown photographer - NPG x15233

Benjamin Britten; Peter Pears

by Unknown photographer
postcard print, December 1955
NPG x15233

Peter Pears; Francis Poulenc; Benjamin Britten, by Unknown photographer - NPG x15234

Peter Pears; Francis Poulenc; Benjamin Britten

by Unknown photographer
bromide print, 1955
NPG x15234

Yehudi Menuhin and (Edward) Benjamin Britten, by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman) - NPG x15235

Yehudi Menuhin and (Edward) Benjamin Britten

by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1958
NPG x15235

Yehudi Menuhin and (Edward) Benjamin Britten, by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman) - NPG x15236

Yehudi Menuhin and (Edward) Benjamin Britten

by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1958
NPG x15236

Benjamin Britten; André Ravasio, by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman) - NPG x15238

Benjamin Britten; André Ravasio

by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1958
NPG x15238

Benjamin Britten, by Lotte Meitner-Graf - NPG x15241

Benjamin Britten

by Lotte Meitner-Graf
gelatin silver print, circa 1960
NPG x15241

Benjamin Britten, by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman) - NPG x15243

Benjamin Britten

by Kurt Hutton (Kurt Hubschman)
bromide print, 1960s
NPG x15243

Benjamin Britten, by Unknown photographer - NPG x196232

Benjamin Britten

by Unknown photographer
bromide print, 1960s
NPG x196232

Category

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.