W.H. Auden; Christopher Isherwood; Stephen Spender

Identify sitters

by Howard Coster
half-plate film negative, 1937
Transferred from Central Office of Information, 1974
Photographs Collection
NPG x2948

Sittersback to top

Wystan Hugh ('W.H.') Auden (1907-1973), Poet. Sitter in 43 portraits. Identify
Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood (1904-1986), Novelist. Sitter in 29 portraits. Identify
Sir Stephen Harold Spender (1909-1995), Poet and critic. Sitter associated with 53 portraits. Identify

Artistback to top

Howard Coster (1885-1959), Photographer. Artist associated with 9349 portraits, Sitter in 5 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This group portrait, taken in Howard Coster's London studio, was one of fifteen poses showing Auden and his fellow writers Isherwood and Spender. Auden had known Isherwood since childhood and met Spender, who had published his first set of poems, at Oxford. At this time Auden and Isherwood were collaborating on several works, including the plays The Ascent of F6 and On the Frontier. Earlier in 1937, Auden had spent two months in Valencia working for the Spanish republic in the civil war. His experiences inspired the propagandist poem 'Spain':

Linked publicationsback to top

Pepper, Terence; Strong, Arthur, Howard Coster's Celebrity Portraits, 1985 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 28 June - 8 September 1985), p. 45

Placesback to top

Place made and portrayed: United Kingdom: England, London (photographer's studio, Essex Street, London)

Subject/Themeback to top

Group portraits

Events of 1937back to top

Current affairs

George VI becomes king. The younger brother of Edward VIII was crowned on the 12th May and the coronation was broadcast to Britain and the Empire on the radio. Edward becomes the Duke of Windsor, although the rank of 'Royal Highness' is not extended to Wallis Simpson.
Neville Chamberlain becomes Prime Minister following Baldwin's retirement.

Art and science

Roland Penrose organises a tour of Picasso's painting Guernica to the UK. The painting, which shows the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, went on display at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in East London

International

Commercial airship travel is brought to an end with the 'Hindenberg Disaster'. The German airship exploded while landing in New Jersey. The radio broadcaster Herbert Morrison's reaction has become legendary: 'Oh, the humanity!'
Japan invades China, killing about 25,000. Japanese Troops committed numerous atrocities against soldiers and civilians in what became known as the 'Rape of Nanking'.

Tell us more back to top

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