Cecil Beaton
1904–1980 · United Kingdom
The art of portraiture between setting, theatre and society.
The story
Cecil Beaton developed a body of portrait and fashion photography while also working in theatre and cinema. Fabrics, flowers, backdrops and lighting give many of his images a theatrical dimension. He also photographed war and British society. This range allows his society portraits to be considered alongside the other documentary and narrative uses of his eye.
Understanding the work
Notice how the setting affects the pose and the person’s status. Props construct a role as much as they describe a social world.
Key works and series
Society portraits; fashion photographs; royal portraits; war reportage.
Sources & further exploration
Works in collections.
4 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
