Margot Fonteyn
(1919-1991), Ballet dancerDame Margot Fonteyn
Sitter in 51 portraits
Born Margaret Hookham in Reigate, in 1934 Margot attended the Vic-Wells Ballet School, and by the time she was twenty had danced the lead in three of the great classics: Giselle, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. She later joined Lilian Baylis's Sadlers Wells Company where she became emotionally involved with Constant Lambert (brother of the sculptor Maurice Lambert), who wrote Horoscope (1938) for her. She danced the lead in his Tiresias (1951). Fonteyn came out of semi-retirement to dance with Rudolf Nureyev at his debut with the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, in 1962, and with him formed one of the greatest ballet partnerships of the twentieth century.
Explore the portrait of Margot Fonteyn by Maurice Lambert (NPG 6033) from all angles
Margot Fonteyn; John Cyril Cranko
by Lord Snowdon
gelatin silver print, 4 January 1972
NPG P1865
by Bern Schwartz
dye transfer print, 3 May 1977
NPG P1167
acrylic on paper collaged on panels, 2021-2022
On display in Room 33 on Floor 0 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 7145
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by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 31 December 1935
NPG x127566
by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 31 December 1935
NPG x127567
by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 31 December 1935
NPG x127568
by Bassano Ltd
half-plate glass negative, 31 December 1935
NPG x127569
by Bassano Ltd
whole-plate glass negative, 1936
NPG x19229
by Bassano Ltd
whole-plate film negative, 1936
NPG x19230
Margot Fonteyn, Mary Honer and June Brae (June Telfer Bear)
by Edward Malindine, for Daily Herald
modern bromide print from original negative, 24 September 1937
NPG x131125
by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1950s
NPG x125355
by Cecil Beaton
bromide print on white card mount, 28 October 1950
NPG x14079
Margot Fonteyn; Sir Robert Murray Helpmann
by Norman Parkinson
bromide print on card mount, 1951
NPG x30080
Violetta Elvin; Ninette de Valois; Margot Fonteyn
by Keystone Press Agency Ltd
bromide press print, 14 October 1954
NPG x184371
'Sadlers Wells Ballet in Italy' (Ninette de Valois; Margot Fonteyn; Pamela May)
by Unknown photographer
gelatin silver print, 1954
NPG x196076
by Unknown photographer
gelatin silver print, 1957
NPG x198415
by Baron Studios
bromide print, circa 1961
NPG x16221
Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn
by Michael Peto
modern bromide print from original negative, February 1962
NPG x137680
by Alan Bergman
selenium-toned bromide print, 1972
NPG x125577
Margot Fonteyn; Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
probably by Virginia Surtees
vintage snapshot print, 1946
NPG x136166
Margot Fonteyn; Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
probably by Virginia Surtees
vintage snapshot print, 1946
NPG x136167
Paddy Stephenson; Margot Fonteyn; Julia Farron; Michael George Somes
possibly by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage snapshot print, September-October 1948
NPG x136171
Group on Avenue Raymond Poincaré in Paris
possibly by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage snapshot print, September-October 1948
NPG x136218
by Baron (Sterling Henry Nahum)
halftone reproduction tear sheet, published 21 July 1948
NPG x137537
by Baron (Sterling Henry Nahum)
halftone reproduction tear sheet, published 18 May 1949
NPG x193354
probably by Virginia Surtees, or by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage snapshot print, 1 April 1950
NPG x136173
Sir Sacheverell Sitwell, 6th Bt; Margot Fonteyn
by Virginia Surtees
vintage snapshot print, 1 April 1950
NPG x136223
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage snapshot print, 1 April 1950
NPG x136226
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, Summer 1953
NPG x136169
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, Summer 1953
NPG x136180
Margot Fonteyn; Hilda Hookham (née Fontes)
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, Summer 1953
NPG x136181
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, Summer 1953
NPG x136184
probably by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, October 1954
NPG x136170
Hilda Hookham (née Fontes); Margot Fonteyn
probably by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage snapshot print, October 1954
NPG x136198
Margot Fonteyn; Hilda Hookham (née Fontes)
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, October 1954
NPG x136199
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, October 1954
NPG x136200
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, October 1954
NPG x136201
Margot Fonteyn; Hilda Hookham (née Fontes)
by Sir (Henry) Ashley Clarke
vintage colour snapshot print, October 1954
NPG x136202
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