Yevonde
(1893-1975), PhotographerYevonde (Madame Yevonde) (Yevonde Middleton (née Cumbers))
Sitter in 15 portraits
Artist associated with 915 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
by Yevonde
bromide print on textured paper, mounted, 5 October 1928
NPG x29722
by Yevonde
gelatin silver print, 30 July 1928
On display at The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NPG x39288
by Yevonde
bromide print on white card mount, 30 July 1928
NPG x39289
Lady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig (later Alexandra Trevor-Roper, Lady Dacre)
by Yevonde
bromide print, 5 December 1928
NPG x182285
Dame Rebecca West (Cicily Isabel Andrews (née Fairfield))
by Yevonde
black and white reprint on card mount, 1929
NPG x131753
by Yevonde
black and white reprint on card mount, 1930s
NPG x131736
Lady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig (later Alexandra Trevor-Roper, Lady Dacre)
by Yevonde
cream-toned bromide print on tissue and card mount, early 1930s
NPG x134561
Raine Spencer (née McCorquodale), Countess Spencer; Dame Barbara Hamilton Cartland
by Yevonde
bromide press print, 1930
NPG x201374
(Lilian) Maud Glen (née Coats), Duchess of Wellington
by Yevonde
gelatin silver print, early 1930s
NPG x201378
by Yevonde
tri-colour separation negative, 1931-1932
NPG x221911
Vere Harold Esmond Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere
by Yevonde
Vivex colour print on cream card mount, 1932
NPG x32364
Tom Priestley; Winifred Mary Jane Priestley (née Holland)
by Yevonde
bromide print, 1932
NPG x34025
by Yevonde
Vivex colour print, 1932
On display at The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NPG x26032
by Yevonde
tri-colour separation negative, 1932
NPG x220239
by Yevonde
tri-colour separation negative, 1932
NPG x222108
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.