Deborah Vivien Cavendish (née Freeman-Mitford), Duchess of Devonshire; Pietro Annigoni

© National Portrait Gallery, London

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Deborah Vivien Cavendish (née Freeman-Mitford), Duchess of Devonshire; Pietro Annigoni

by Francis Goodman
2 1/4 inch square film negative, 1954-1955
Bequeathed by the estate of Francis Goodman, 1989
Photographs Collection
NPG x195045

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Artistback to top

  • Francis Goodman (1913-1989), Photographer. Artist or producer of 1400 portraits, Sitter in 6 portraits.

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After his successful exhibition at Wildenstein's Gallery in New Bond Street in 1954, Annigoni recalled: 'The Duchess of Devonshire, who had already been considering commissioning a portrait of herself from me, was persuaded [...] to take the plunge.' During his sittings with the Duchess, Annigoni received the important commission to paint Queen Elizabeth II. The painting of the Queen was shown at the Royal Academy in 1955, after which Annigoni's reputation grew internationally. Photographed in Annigoni's studio in Edwardes Square, Kensington, London.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG x195103: Deborah Vivien Cavendish (née Freeman-Mitford), Duchess of Devonshire; Pietro Annigoni (includes the portrait)

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Current affairs

Roger Bannister runs the four-minute mile. Bannister was the first man to achieve the 'miracle mile', a feat that was thought by some to be impossible, beating his rival, the Australian John Landy, to the record. Bannister went on to a career as a distinguished neurologist.
Food rationing ends in Britain.

Art and science

J.R.R. Tolkien publishes the first two parts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers. Tolkien was an Oxford professor of Anglo-Saxon language and literature and drew on his scholarly interests in history, language and mythology to create the fictional land of Middle Earth where the books are set.
Williams Golding publishes, Lord of the Flies.

International

The South East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) is established in Bangkok. This international defence organisation was established as part of the 'containment' policy of limiting the influence of communism. SEATO was, however, found to be ineffective as the member organisations failed to agree on combined action; it was disbanded in 1977.

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