Cecil Beaton
(1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writerSitter associated with 361 portraits
Artist associated with 1111 portraits
Cecil Beaton was one of the leading British photographers of the twentieth century. Beaton's early studio portraits of debutantes and celebrities often involved elaborate theatrical backdrops, and helped define the image of the 'Bright young thing'. Beaton was also an acclaimed designer for film and the stage, including My Fair Lady (1956), the musical based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion. He won three Oscars for costume and art direction for the film version of My Fair Lady (1965) and for Gigi (1958). A major retrospective of Beaton's portraits in 1968 was the first exhibition the National Portrait Gallery had devoted to a photographer.
More on Beaton: Cecil Beaton's Bright Young Things
by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print, December 1926
NPG P868
Lady Cynthia Blanche Mosley (née Curzon)
by Cecil Beaton
gelatin silver print, 1929
NPG P1353
by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print on white card mount, 1930
NPG P869(3)
by Cecil Beaton
bromide print on card mount, 1934
NPG P1041
by Cecil Beaton
vintage bromide print on white card mount, 1936
NPG P869(17)
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor; Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII)
by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 2 June 1937
NPG P259
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor; Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII)
by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 2 June 1937
NPG P260
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor; Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII)
by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 2 June 1937
NPG P264
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor; Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII)
by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 2 June 1937
NPG P265
Tell us more back to top
Can you tell us more about this person? Spotted an error, information that is missing (a sitter’s life dates, occupation or family relationships, or a date of portrait for example) or do you know anything that we don't know? If you have information to share please complete the form below.
If you require information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service. You can buy a print of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at £6 for unframed prints, £25 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, please use our Rights and Images service.
Please note that we cannot provide valuations.
We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.
Visit From Your Armchair
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize
An online exhibition celebrating the very best in contemporary portrait photography.
Hold Still
Explore our community photography project, which presents a personal record of the UK during lockdown.
Sculptures in 360°
See sculptures and fascinating objects from our Collection from all angles.
David Hockney: Drawing from Life
Watch highlights from our special exhibition, which had to close early in March 2020 due to lockdown.
Related pages
- Cecil Beaton Drawings
- Learn more
- Handlist of names in the Reference Collection
- Photographic holdings - print and negative collections
- In Close Up: Laurence Olivier
- Women Poets and Photography, 1860–1970
- Centenaries and Centenarians
- Britain 1960-1990
- The Royal Ballet at 75
- The World's Most Photographed
- Bill Brandt: Portraits 1982
- Self image: basic materials and techniques (4)