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Jane Bown

(1925-2014), Photographer

Sitter in 7 portraits
Artist associated with 73 portraits
Born in 1925, Bown worked as a chart corrector in the Wrens, 1944-46. She was a student photographer at Guildford School of Art, 1946-50. Bown started her photographic career 56 years ago when her portrait of Bertrand Russell appeared in The Observer. Admired for her straightforward, naturally posed, black and white portraits usually taken with available light. Her published books include The Gentle Eye (1980) which was accompanied by a major exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, 1980-81, Women of Consequence (1986), Men of Consequence (1987) and Faces (2000). In 1995 Bown was awarded a CBE for her outstanding contribution to photography.

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Roy Campbell, by Jane Bown - NPG P378

Roy Campbell

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1951
NPG P378

Jonathan Miller, by Jane Bown - NPG P375

Jonathan Miller

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1954
NPG P375

Samuel Beckett, by Jane Bown - NPG P373

Samuel Beckett

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1976
NPG P373

Mick Jagger, by Jane Bown - NPG P376

Mick Jagger

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 5 October 1977
NPG P376

Sir Edward Heath, by Jane Bown - NPG P377

Sir Edward Heath

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1978
NPG P377

Bertrand Russell, by Jane Bown - NPG x133112

Bertrand Russell

by Jane Bown
digital print, 1949
NPG x133112

Bernard Darwin, by Jane Bown - NPG x17010

Bernard Darwin

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1950s
NPG x17010

Bernard Darwin, by Jane Bown - NPG x17011

Bernard Darwin

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1950s
NPG x17011

Jean Cocteau, by Jane Bown - NPG x133113

Jean Cocteau

by Jane Bown
gelatin silver print, 1950
NPG x133113

Roy Campbell, by Jane Bown - NPG x28617

Roy Campbell

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1951
NPG x28617

Evelyn Waugh with his family, by Jane Bown - NPG x28638

Evelyn Waugh with his family

by Jane Bown
bromide print, 1951
NPG x28638

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Marion Bond

11 October 2017, 21:47

Jane (Mrs Moss) was my neighbour in Alresford. She took a lovely b&w photo of me for my 50th birthday and signed it. Naturally I was thrilled. I paid for the printing and she kept the negatives for her archive. Actually she took quite a few but I chose to enlarge 2 only.

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