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Bill Brandt

10 of 34 portraits of Bill Brandt

© Cecil Beaton Archive / Condé Nast

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Bill Brandt

by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, November 1973
9 3/8 in. x 7 1/2 in. (238 mm x 189 mm)
Accepted in lieu of tax by H.M. Government and allocated to the Gallery, 1991
Photographs Collection
NPG x40032

Sitterback to top

  • Bill Brandt (1904-1983), Photographer. Sitter in 34 portraits, Artist or producer of 120 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Cecil Beaton (1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writer. Artist or producer associated with 1114 portraits, Sitter associated with 360 portraits.

This portraitback to top

Beaton took this portrait while visiting Brandt at his home in Campden Hill during the preparation of his major history of photography, The Magic Image that was finally published in 1975. This somewhat surrealist study paying tribute to Brandt includes the disembodied arm of his third wife Noya. In Beaton's accompanying word picture of Brandt he described him, 'Brandt speaks in a voice that is little more than a whisper... he reminds one of Delius - his bony features jutting from his taut skin, with aristocratic aquiline nose, deeply set eyes of a wonderful sky-blue and disarming sympathetic smile. In his long-limbed way he is the acme of elegance, and his tapering hands are indicative of his distinguished mind.'

Placesback to top

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

Events of 1973back to top

Current affairs

With the international oil crisis, and British coal miners 'working to rule' (a form of partial strike), Prime Minister Edward Heath implements the 'three day week' for industry in order to prolong fuel stocks.

Art and science

Pink Floyd release Dark Side of the Moon. The album opens with the sound of a heartbeat and instead of a set of individual songs, each track merges into the next to create a continuous piece of music. The LP was one of the most commercially successful albums of all time.

International

The Arab-Israeli conflict continues with the Yom Kippur War. Egypt and Syria invaded Israel followed shortly by Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The conflict lasted for just 18 days before a UN ceasefire was put into place. The events led to an increase in the price of Arab oil, causing economic problems in the West.

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