The Beatles (George Harrison; John Lennon)
1 portrait matching these criteria:
© Ginzburg Fine Arts
The Beatles (George Harrison; John Lennon)
by Astrid Kirchherr
gelatin silver print, 1962
9 3/8 in. x 11 3/4 in. (237 mm x 297 mm)
Purchased, 2012
Primary Collection
NPG P1692
Sittersback to top
- George Harrison (1943-2001), Musician; member of The Beatles. Sitter in 78 portraits.
- John Lennon (1940-1980), Musician; co-founder and singer for The Beatles. Sitter in 90 portraits, Artist or producer of 2 portraits.
Artistback to top
- Astrid Kirchherr (1938-2020), Photographer. Artist or producer associated with 6 portraits.
This portraitback to top
In 192 The Beatles' first single 'Love Me Do' reached its highest place in the UK charts at number seventeen. In the same year they signed their first contract with manager Brian Epstein who inspired a professional attitude and smarter appearance. In May 1962 EMI producer George Martin signed the group to the company's Parlophone record label and in August, drummer Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr. A recording of 'Please Please Me' made with George Martin at Abbey Road in November, became their first number one the following February. Kirchherr was working as an assistant to the Hamburg-based photographer Reinhardt Wolf when she first saw the Beatles playing in the Kaiserkeller bar in 1960. She came to influence the Beatles' look and became engaged to the group's original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe before his untimely death in April 1962. This photograph was taken during the Beatles' penultimate pre-fame trip to Hamburg,
Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top
- Photograph of the Month: December 2012 (1 December 2012 - 31 December 2012)
Events of 1962back to top
Current affairs
After a series of by-election defeats, the prime minister, Harold MacMillan organises a drastic cabinet reshuffle, dismissing one third of his cabinet. Liberal MP Jeremy Thorpe's wry comment summed up the desperate action: 'greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down his friends for his life.'Britain suffers the 'Big Freeze' with no frost-free nights between 22nd December 1962 and 5th March 1963.
Art and science
The Beatles have their first hit with Love Me Do and release their first album Please Please Me.The new Coventry Cathedral is consecrated and creates a showcase for British artistic talent with the first performance of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, a wall hanging by Graham Sutherland, stained glass by John Piper, and sculptures by Jacob Epstein and Elizabeth Frink.
International
The world comes to the brink of nuclear war with the Cuban Missile Crisis. In response to the USA's nuclear advantage, the USSR sent missiles to Cuba. The crisis lasted for 12 days before a deal was finally stuck between Khrushchev and Kennedy in which the Cuban missile bases were dismantled in return for the secret removal of US missiles from Turkey.Comments back to top
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