Jane Bown
(1925-2014), PhotographerSitter 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.
by Bob Collins
contact sheet of twelve 2 1/4 inch square film negatives, circa 1959
NPG x133155
Photographers of 'Stars of the British Screen'
by Norman Parkinson
bromide fibre print, 11 December 1985
NPG x127320
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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.