Skip to main content

Cecil Beaton More Art

British, 1904-1980

Cecil Beaton developed a distinctive style of photography where the subject was immersed in backgrounds made of unusual materials such as paper-mâché or aluminum foil. A socialite who rubbed elbows with royalty, celebrities and the wealthy aristocracy, the British photographer captured some of the most famous names of his time. 

Beaton was born in London in 1904 to a successful lumber merchant and amateur actor. He received his first camera as a gift at age 11. Beaton later attended St. John’s College in Cambridge and studied art, history and architecture. He dropped out in 1925 and went to work in the family lumber business, but his free time was spent absorbed in photography. 

Beaton befriended Sir Osbert Sitwell, who was captivated by his photographs and funded his first exhibition. It was an immediate sensation, leading to work with major magazines.

With a photography contract from Condé Nast, Beaton left for New York. By the end of the 1920s, he had worked as a staff photographer for Vanity Fair and Vogue. He continued to cultivate his unique portraiture style and published his work in several books. One of his greatest achievements was a commission from the British Royal Family in 1939, a relationship which endured for decades. During World War II, he served as a wartime photographer in Africa and East Asia.

After the war, Beaton returned to private portrait commissions. He also began designing costumes and sets for theater and the silver screen, winning an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Gigi and awards for costume design and art direction for My Fair Lady. He also won costume design Tony awards for the Broadway shows Quadrille, My Fair Lady, Saratoga and Coco. 

Beaton designed the sets and costumes for a production of the opera Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and then at Covent Garden, London. His diaries, which were scrapbooks of his life and interests, have garnered wide interest, and several volumes of them have been published.

On 1stDibs, find Cecil Beaton’s photography, drawings and watercolors, paintings and more.

to
6
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
5
1
4
6
6
66
264
224
169
126
6
Artist: Cecil Beaton
"The Book Of Beauty" 1930 BEATON, Cecil
"The Book Of Beauty" 1930 BEATON, Cecil

Cecil Beaton"The Book Of Beauty" 1930 BEATON, Cecil

$8,500

"The Book Of Beauty" 1930 BEATON, Cecil

By Cecil Beaton

Located in Bristol, CT

BEATON, Cecil [67] pp. Duckworth 1930 11 1/8" x 9" Exceedingly rare with the jacket Illustrated with a coloured frontispiece from the author's drawing of Queen Alexandra, 27 collotype reproductions of his photographs, and 100 line drawings in the text. I have tried to make my book an analysis of modern beauty, a collection of the loveliest ladies I have ever seen, and, in time, it may become a sentimental document for our granchildren, to marvel at all the types of beauty to-day; the latest varieties of Venus as well as the counterparts of former belles. The Book of Beauty is Cecil Beaton's first book. It is an unashamed paean to the beauty of the women who inhabit his world. The book is inspired by books of beauty published in the Victorian period and by his childhood fascination with the theatricality and glamour of the opposite sex. Photographs of women are accompanied by flowery descriptions. Sitters include Baba and Nancy Beaton, Edith Sitwell, Tallulah Bankhead, Tilly Losch...

Category

1930s Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper

"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil
"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil

Cecil Beaton"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil, 1937

$2,250

"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil

By Cecil Beaton

Located in Bristol, CT

BEATON, Cecil [135] pp. Charles Scribner's Sons 1937 11 1/2" x 9 1/4" w/ floral rose bud Sanderson wallpaper boards & endpapers On the shelves at Ashcombe, I have now over fift...

Category

1930s Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper

"Fashion Eye: Venice Cecil Beaton" 2021 BEATON, Cecil
"Fashion Eye: Venice Cecil Beaton" 2021 BEATON, Cecil

Cecil Beaton"Fashion Eye: Venice Cecil Beaton" 2021 BEATON, Cecil

$350

"Fashion Eye: Venice Cecil Beaton" 2021 BEATON, Cecil

By Cecil Beaton

Located in Bristol, CT

BEATON, Cecil Edited by Pierre Bessard [124] pp. Louis Vuitton Malletier 2021 12 1/2" x 9 1/2" Photographs by Cecil Beaton. Edited by Patrick Remy. Essay by Philippe Garner. Foreword by Countess Cristiana Brandolini d'Adda. Louis Vuitton Malletier. Paris. 2021. First edition. Hardback; pink cloth-bound boards, with title debossed in blue and images pasted to front and rear boards. [c.120 pages + 28 page facsimile booklet bound in centre.] Illustrated throughout in b&w and colour. French & English. 315 x 245mm. 0.85kg. 9782369832263. Fine; as new. A scrapbook-style album of Cecil Beaton's photographs of Venice...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper

"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil
"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil

Cecil Beaton"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil

$2,250

"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil

By Cecil Beaton

Located in Bristol, CT

BEATON, Cecil [136] pp. Charles Scribner's Sons 1937 11 1/2" x 9 1/2" On the shelves at Ashcombe, I have now over fifty diaries & scrapbooks, memorials of many violated magazine...

Category

1930s Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper

"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil
"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil

Cecil Beaton"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil, 1937

$1,200

"Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook" 1937 BEATON, Cecil

By Cecil Beaton

Located in Bristol, CT

BEATON, Cecil [136] pp. Charles Scribner's Sons 1937 11 1/2" x 9 1/4" w/ floral rose bud Sanderson wallpaper boards & endpapers On the shelves at Ashcombe, I have now over fift...

Category

1930s Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper

The Book Of Beauty
The Book Of Beauty

Cecil BeatonThe Book Of Beauty

$9,500

The Book Of Beauty

By Cecil Beaton

Located in Bristol, CT

BEATON, Cecil [67] pp. Duckworth Press 1930 11 1/4 x 9" Amazing/ unique copy hand-painted by Cecil Beaton himself w/ his signature 'rose buds' over the polka dot boards 'I have...

Category

20th Century Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper

Related Items
"Nude Sketch No. 3" early academic figure drawing by Ben Fenske, unframed
"Nude Sketch No. 3" early academic figure drawing by Ben Fenske, unframed

Ben Fenske"Nude Sketch No. 3" early academic figure drawing by Ben Fenske, unframed, 2009

$950

H 19 in W 25.5 in

"Nude Sketch No. 3" early academic figure drawing by Ben Fenske, unframed

By Ben Fenske

Located in Sag Harbor, NY

An academic drawing of a female nude figure sitting atop a flat surface. He highlights the body with white chalk. She leans on one arm and the other rests behind her torso. Artist B...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Academic Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Jean-Michel Basquiat The New York Times Magazine, 1985
Jean-Michel Basquiat The New York Times Magazine, 1985

Jean-Michel BasquiatJean-Michel Basquiat The New York Times Magazine, 1985, 1985

$2,450

H 13 in W 10 in

Jean-Michel Basquiat The New York Times Magazine, 1985

By Jean-Michel Basquiat

Located in NEW YORK, NY

Presented here is the rare iconic Basquiat New York Times Magazine 1985: The New York Times Magazine, February 10, 1985 edition famously entitled “New Art, New Money: The Marketing ...

Category

1980s Pop Art Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Magazine Paper

Large Shelf Still Life poster
Large Shelf Still Life poster

Jonas WoodLarge Shelf Still Life poster, 2017

$1,500

H 23.4 in W 23.4 in

Large Shelf Still Life poster

By Jonas Wood

Located in Washington , DC, DC

text en verso

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper, Color, Lithograph, Offset

Landscape, Etching on Paper by Indian Modern Artist Suhas Roy "In Stock"
Landscape, Etching on Paper by Indian Modern Artist Suhas Roy "In Stock"

Suhas RoyLandscape, Etching on Paper by Indian Modern Artist Suhas Roy "In Stock", 1985

$900

H 11 in W 10.5 in D 1 in

Landscape, Etching on Paper by Indian Modern Artist Suhas Roy "In Stock"

By Suhas Roy

Located in Kolkata, West Bengal

Suhas Roy - Landscape AP - 19/12 Etching on Paper 11 x 10.5 inches, 1985 ( Unframed & Delivered ) Style : He is one of the biggest and the most enduring names in the genre of Indian...

Category

1980s Modern Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper, Etching

1970s Modern Antonietta Raphaël Signed Etching
1970s Modern Antonietta Raphaël Signed Etching

Antonietta Raphaël1970s Modern Antonietta Raphaël Signed Etching, 1970

$2,337

H 22.84 in W 31.5 in D 0.79 in

1970s Modern Antonietta Raphaël Signed Etching

By Antonietta Raphaël

Located in Roma, IT

Colour etching “Prova d’autore” signed localised and dated ‘Raphael Roma “70”. It depicts in his unmistakable style a couple pictured in an intimate but discreet pose. Antonietta Ra...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Looney Tunes Original Production Cel: Bugs Bunny

Warner Bros. Studio ArtistsLooney Tunes Original Production Cel: Bugs Bunny, Circa 1990s

$545

H 12 in W 10 in

Looney Tunes Original Production Cel: Bugs Bunny

Located in Los Angeles, CA

MEDIUM: ​Original Production Cel on Printed Background IMAGE SIZE: 12 Field PRODUCTION: Looney Tunes SKU: IFA6278 ABOUT THE IMAGE: Looney Tunes is a series of animated short films b...

Category

Late 20th Century Pop Art Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paint, Paper, Pen, Pencil

Ex Libris Leili Ja Juhan Muur - Original Woodcut - Early 20th Century

Ex Libris Leili Ja Juhan Muur - Original Woodcut - Early 20th Century, Early 20th Century

$210

H 8.27 in W 5.91 in D 0.04 in

Ex Libris Leili Ja Juhan Muur - Original Woodcut - Early 20th Century

Located in Roma, IT

Ex Libris Leili Ja Juhan Muur is an original Modern Artwork realized in Germany in the 20th Century. Original B/W Woodcut print on ivory-colored paper. The work is glued on cardb...

Category

Early 20th Century Modern Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper, Woodcut

Scènes Parlementaires - Rare Book Illustrated by Honoré Daumier - 1850
Scènes Parlementaires - Rare Book Illustrated by Honoré Daumier - 1850

Honoré DaumierScènes Parlementaires - Rare Book Illustrated by Honoré Daumier - 1850, 1850

$2,103

H 13.78 in W 10.63 in D 0.2 in

Scènes Parlementaires - Rare Book Illustrated by Honoré Daumier - 1850

By Honoré Daumier

Located in Roma, IT

Scènes Parlementairesis a suite of original lithographs by Honoré Daumier (Marseille, 1808 -1879, Valmondois), realized in 1850. Published in Paris. Original Edition. Format: in ...

Category

1850s Modern Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Tattooed Woman Holding Rose by Andy Warhol
Tattooed Woman Holding Rose by Andy Warhol

Andy WarholTattooed Woman Holding Rose by Andy Warhol

$25,500

H 11 in W 29 in

Tattooed Woman Holding Rose by Andy Warhol

By Andy Warhol

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Tattooed Woman Holding Rose MEDIUM: Fine Art Lithograph on Paper IMAGE SIZE: 11" x 29" EDITION SIZE: Unknown ARTIST: Andy Warhol DESCRIPTION: Tattoo Ladies served as Andy Warhol's calling card in 1955. He used this piece as his business card and he would fold it up and drop it off at advertising agencies that he was interested in working with. The woman's pin-up silhouette is filled with logos of companies he hoped to work for. In the center, we see the artist's old-fashioned NYC phone number and subsequent references to the Murray Hill neighborhood he lived in at the time. Not many Pop Art pieces are more iconic than this! This offset lithograph is printed with orange ink on green onion skin paper with horizontal folds. It measures 11 x 29 and is embossed in the lower left-hand corner with the Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board Inc. stamp and the Estate of Andy Warhol ink...

Category

1950s Pop Art Cecil Beaton More Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Cecil Beaton more art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Cecil Beaton more art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Cecil Beaton in paper and more. Not every interior allows for large Cecil Beaton more art, so small editions measuring 9 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Nick Smith, Sax Berlin, and The Connor Brothers . Cecil Beaton more art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $9,500 and tops out at $9,500, while the average work can sell for $9,500.

Artists Similar to Cecil Beaton

Pamela Burns
Shop All Pamela Burns Más Arte
Martin Yeoman
Shop All Martin Yeoman Más Arte
Jean Dubuffet
Shop All Jean Dubuffet Más Arte
Alison Johnson
Shop All Alison Johnson Más Arte
Daisy Cook
Shop All Daisy Cook Más Arte
Mark Harrison
Shop All Mark Harrison Más Arte
Jo Beer
Shop All Jo Beer Más Arte
Kevin Brewerton
Shop All Kevin Brewerton More Art
Tina Orsolic Dalessio
Shop All Tina Orsolic Dalessio Más Arte
Questions About Cecil Beaton More Art
  • What was Cecil Beaton inspired by?
    1 Answer
    1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    When he was young, Cecil Beaton became enamored by the portraits of high-society women and actresses in the newspapers. At age 11, his nurse taught him how to use a camera and develop film. You can shop a selection of Cecil Beaton’s pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.

More Cecil Beaton Art

Cecil Beaton Photography
Cecil Beaton Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Cecil Beaton Portrait Photography
Cecil Beaton Black and White Photography
Cecil Beaton Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Cecil Beaton Interior Drawings and Watercolors
Cecil Beaton Landscape Photography
View All Popular More Art Searches