Vita Sackville-West
18 of 28 portraits of Vita Sackville-West







© National Portrait Gallery, London
- Buy a print
- Use this image
- Share this
Vita Sackville-West
by John Gay
vintage bromide print, 1948
5 7/8 in. x 4 5/8 in. (148 mm x 118 mm)
Bequeathed by executors of Marie Anita Gay (Mrs John Gay), 2003
Photographs Collection
NPG x126519
Sitterback to top
- Victoria Mary ('Vita') Sackville-West (1892-1962), Writer and gardener; wife of Sir Harold Nicolson. Sitter associated with 28 portraits.
Artistback to top
- John Gay (1909-1999), Photographer. Artist of 295 portraits, Sitter in 5 portraits.
Related worksback to top
- NPG 1725: The Brontë Sisters (Anne Brontë; Emily Brontë; Charlotte Brontë) (appears within the portrait)
Subjects & Themesback to top
Events of 1948back to top
Current affairs
Prince Charles is born in Buckingham Palace; he is the first son of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of EdinburghThe Secretary of State for Health, Aneurin Bevan, introduces the National Health Service. Health services in Britain were now funded from central taxation and free at the point of use for every resident of the country.
Art and science
The First Morris Minor car designed by Alec Issigonis and his team (also responsible for the Mini) takes to the road, becoming a popular and classic English design.F.R. Leavis publishes his influential study of the English novel, The Great Tradition. The book set out Leavis's ideas on the proper relationship between literary form and moral concern.
International
The policy of Apartheid is adopted in South Africa. Apartheid was a set of laws allowing racial segregation and discrimination against the black majority by the white ruling class.As part of the dispute between Western and Soviet controlled Berlin, the Soviet Union blockades West Berlin, cutting off supplies. Anxious to avoid a conflict, America, Britain and France responded by flying in food and other provisions.
Tell us more back to top
Can you tell us more about this portrait? 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 this 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.