Cecil Beaton

1 portrait by Cecil Beaton

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Cecil Beaton

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1927
15 in. x 12 in. (381 mm x 305 mm)
Bequeathed by Sir Cecil Beaton, 1980
Primary Collection
NPG P219

Sitterback to top

  • Cecil Beaton (1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writer. Sitter associated with 360 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 1114 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Cecil Beaton (1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writer. Artist or producer associated with 1114 portraits, Sitter associated with 360 portraits.

Linked publicationsback to top

  • Pepper, Terence, Beaton Portraits, 2004 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 5 February - 31 May 2004), p. 10 Read entry

    Beaton loved his painted portrait by Bérard and used a detail of himself for the cover of his first volume of published diaries, and wrote that this definitive portrait was how he best wanted to be seen. The multiple exposure of 1927 (P219) made for a compelling frontispiece for his first exhibition at the Cooling Galleries. Diana Souhami in her insightful and entertaining Greta and Cecil (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, revised edition, 1999) decodes his photographs as showing ‘merged identity, narcissism and insecurity’, which possibly accurately describes this particular image.

  • Pepper, Terence, Beaton Portraits, 2004 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 5 February to 31 May 2004), p. 10
  • Robin Muir, Cecil Beaton's Bright Young Things, 2020 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 12 March to 7 June 2020), p. 268
  • Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 41

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Events of 1927back to top

Current affairs

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, acknowledging the full independence of the Irish Free State, led at the time by W.T. Cosgrave, the the first President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State.

Art and science

The BBC gains its Royal Charter making it a public corporation and a public service broadcaster accountable to its audience. John Reith became the first Director General with the directive to 'inform, educate and entertain.'

International

Stalin expels Leon Trotsky from the Soviet Communist Party, giving himself greater control of the party and country by ousting opposition elements.

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