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.
$7,500
The Second Mrs Tanqueray Act III 1950 Haymarket Theatre Costume Watercolour by C
By Cecil Beaton
Located in Bristol, CT
Sir Arthur Wing Pinero's "The Second Mrs Tanqueray" Act III, signed Beaton (MR) from the Haymarket Theatre, London 1950 stage production. Provenance: Palm Beach Galleries...
Paper, Watercolor
$1,955Sale Price|40% Off
H 16.74 in W 20.08 in
View of Saint-Médard Church Paris
By Lucien Génin
Located in London, GB
A 'View of Saint-Médard Church, Paris', gouache on art paper, by Lucien Génin (circa 1930s). As viewed from the Rue Mouffetard, the church, which dates from the mid-1400s, continues ...
Paper, Gouache
Emile's Tavern
By Lucien Génin
Located in London, GB
'Emile's Tavern', gouache on paper (circa 1930s), by Lucien Génin. A tavern in French is called a 'guinguette'. With the rise in living standards from the 1860s along with the develo...
Paper, Gouache
$1,310Sale Price|40% Off
H 17.6 in W 14.06 in
Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris
By Lucien Génin
Located in London, GB
'The Church of Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet, Paris', gouache on art paper by Lucien Génin (circa 1930s). In Paris' 5th Arrondissement the site in which Saint-Nicolas du Chardonnet is ...
Paper, Gouache
Boy in Army Coat
By John Button
Located in New York, NY
Gouache on paper Signed and dated, l.r. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City Born in California, John Button (1929-1982) was educated at University of Cali...
Gouache, Paper
$650
H 29 in W 25 in D 1.5 in
Rowing to Shore - Nautical Seascape in Gouache on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Noble nautical scene of a small rowboat coming to shore from a larger sailing vessel by George A. Robbins (American, 1918-2010). In the foreground, sever...
Paper, Gouache
$3,000
H 29 in W 36.5 in
New York City Street Scene of China Town "Joy Ting Low Chow Mein"
By Robert Freiman
Located in New York, NY
An exciting watercolor of a New York City street scene done in 1974. The fast brushwork is noted with much attention directed to abstracting the depiction. Freiman's execution of thi...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
$3,800
H 21.25 in W 19.25 in D 1 in
"Her" American 20th century oil painting Portrait of a Woman from the 1950's
By Richard Sargent
Located in New York, NY
A wonderful portrait of a woman from the 1950's with beautiful blonde hair wearing a white colored shirt. The impressionistic style is very attractive with fast brushwork and dashing...
Paper, Gouache
$590
H 10 in W 11.75 in
Israeli Judaica Original Painting "The Lovers" in Garden Polish Artist Arie Dubi
Located in Surfside, FL
Dubi Arie (born Poland, 1939) "The Lovers" Image: 11 3/4" x 10" Original mixed media on paper painting, Hand signed and dated lower right and signed and titled on reverse. depictin...
Paper, Oil Crayon, Mixed Media, Watercolor
$16,973
H 9.26 in W 13 in
China Export Watercolour on Pith Paper: A Set of Twelve Processions
Located in London, London
[China Export Water-colours on Pith Paper] A Set of Twelve Processions. China, ca. 1870]. Water-colour and gouache studies on pith paper, framed by blue silk ribbon, all mounted. ...
Watercolor, Rice Paper
$950
H 20.5 in W 16.5 in D 0.1 in
"Sketch No.35/4: The Knotted Castle" Abstract Representational Painting on Paper
By Wolfgang Leidhold
Located in New York, NY
This piece represents a part of the artist's "Kinetic Knots" series which symbolizes shapes of the knots that are not planned. It is like the “Dao” grabbing the artist and the power ...
Paper, Ink, Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor
$950
H 20.5 in W 16.5 in D 0.1 in
"Sketch No.35/6: The Knotted Castle" Abstract Representational Painting on Paper
By Wolfgang Leidhold
Located in New York, NY
This piece represents a part of the artist's "Kinetic Knots" series which symbolizes shapes of the knots that are not planned. It is like the “Dao” grabbing the artist and the power ...
Paper, Ink, Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor
Two Studio Models
By John Button
Located in New York, NY
Gouache on paper Signed and dated, l.r. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City Born in California, John Button (1929-1982) was educated at University of Cali...
Gouache, Paper
An Athlete
By Cecil Beaton
Located in London, GB
Oil on board, signed (lower right), 56cm x 41cm, (64cm x 49cm framed). The pictures is good condition, which has been cleaned recently. The frame is the original frame, which althoug...
Oil, Board
"Cecil Beaton Self -Portrait"
By Cecil Beaton
Located in Bristol, CT
Cecil Beaton, signed verso & (stamped Fotografia de IIugo Rodrigo Octavio), Self-Portrait Art Sz: 6.75" x 8.75" Frame Sz: 12" x 14"
Silver Gelatin