Cecil Beaton; Greta Garbo
1 portrait
© Cecil Beaton Archive / Condé Nast
Cecil Beaton; Greta Garbo
by Cecil Beaton
bromide print, 1965
7 1/2 in. x 9 1/2 in. (190 mm x 241 mm)
Accepted in lieu of tax by H.M. Government and allocated to the Gallery, 1991
Photographs Collection
NPG x40155
Sittersback to top
- Cecil Beaton (1904-1980), Photographer, designer and writer. Sitter associated with 360 portraits, Artist or producer associated with 1114 portraits.
- Greta Garbo (Greta Lovisa Gustafsson) (1905-1990), Actress. Sitter in 73 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
The photographer Cecil Beaton had long been fascinated by the Hollywood star Greta Garbo before their meeting in 1932. Although they were both in same sex relationships at the time, Beaton was left infatuated. When they met again in 1946, their friendship developed into an affair. Beaton went so far as to propose marriage but Garbo declined and their romance ended. This photograph was taken two decades later when they met again as old friends on a cruise of the Greek islands on Cécile de Rothschild’s yacht.
Events of 1965back to top
Current affairs
Sir Winston Churchill dies after suffering a stroke at the age of 90. By Royal Decree his body lay in state for three days before he was given a State Funeral (a very rare honour for a non-Royal). Representatives from over 100 countries attended the funeral and thousands of people watched the procession of his coffin down the Thames.Art and science
Julie Christie stars in John Schlesinger's film Darling, a film that captures fashionable London in the 1960s, while critiquing the superficiality of the jet-setting society. The film has subsequently been itself criticised for being out-of-touch with the realities of the day.The Post Office Tower (now the BT tower) opens for use, housing microwave aerials to carry telecommunications traffic from London.
International
President Johnson sends US troops to assist South Vietnam against communist North Vietnam and domestic nationalist insurgents. Johnson's plan for a short, limited war was soon quashed by North Vietnam's strategy of protracted war. As the conflict dragged on the US government instituted a draft, sparking anti-war protests that would continue until American involvement ended in 1973.Comments back to top
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