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
Les sisters by Erté
By Erte - Romain de Tirtoff
Located in New Orleans, LA
Erté (Romain de Tirtoff) 1892-1990 Russian-French Les sisters Signed “Erté” (lower right) Gouache on paper Designed for a performance of Moi, J’aime le Music-Hall, Erté’s Les sis...
Paper, Gouache
$8,900
H 60 in W 40.25 in
“Make Believe Heroine” - Young Girl Bow & Arrow red green 2017 DeLoss McGraw
By DeLoss McGraw
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Make Believe Heroine depicts a Young Girl with a Bow & Arrow painted in 2017 by DeLoss McGraw. Signed lower right. Not framed. PROVENANCE: Private collection San Diego, Ca. Acquired...
Gouache, Rag Paper
Mid Century Figurative -- Brother and Sister with Birds
By Lee Whittier
Located in Soquel, CA
Compelling figurative watercolor of blue-eyed brother and sister feeding birds by California artist Lee Whittier (American, 20th Century). Circa 1...
Paper, Watercolor
$700
H 8 in W 10 in
"Nestled in Blue" by Chris Hong, Watercolor Painting of Happy Sleeping Cat
Located in Denver, CO
Chris Hong's "Nestled in Blue" is an original, handmade watercolor painting that depicts a nestled cat with overtones of blue. This piece is framed and ready to hang. Chris Hong i...
Paper, Watercolor
Cabines de Plage, Beach, Sea, French, Summer Scene
Located in Wiscasset, ME
Aubrey Bridges' Cabines de Plage is a study in brilliant color. The artist's layering of opaque pigments lends the image a choppy, almost woodcut-like quality well-suited to capturin...
Paper, Gouache
Consolation, Collier's magazine illustration
By Harry Beckhoff
Located in Miami, FL
Signed upper left
Gouache, Paper, Pencil
$14,850
H 44.375 in W 55.25 in
"Houses at Night, " Colorful Mixed Media Collage on Paper signed by Dan Muller
By Dan Muller
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Houses at Night" is an original mixed media painting by Dan Muller. The artist signed the piece lower right. The artist used cut & pasted paper, waterc...
Paper, Pastel, Mixed Media, Watercolor
Do Bee Book of Manners
By Art Seiden
Located in Miami, FL
Grosset & Dunlap, Illustration, Art Seiden was a top children's book illustrator in the 1950' - 1060's Work comes in two parts that are butted together by the artist
Gouache, Ink, Paper
$7,500
H 16.5 in W 10 in
Redheaded Model Purple Fashion Illustration for Women's Wear Daily
Located in Miami, FL
Redheaded model wearing Traina Sport by Kay Unger and Jesper Nyeboe. Illustration published on the cover of Women's Wear Daily, February 25, 1971. Gouache o...
Paper, Gouache
Art Deco Costume Design - Eva
By Georges Lepape
Located in Miami, FL
The paper in some of these photos looks overly textured due to the sharpness of the high-res digital camera. In person, with the human eye, the paper looks reasonably smooth with out blemishes. For this fashion illustration, Georges Lepape paints a stunning abstract pattern for the subject dress that is repeated in her hair. The work represents an early use of metallic paint, with silver metallic in the dress and bronze metallic in the blouse. Lepape's highly detailed drawing becomes more evident the closer you look. It's quite amazing how deftly he rendered facial feature on such a small scale. "Eva" 1918 Gouache, watercolor, and ink on paper Signed and dated, lower right: '1918' Inscribed, verso: "Costume for L'enfantement du mort, (miracle en pourpre, et or.). Devised by Marcel L'Herbier and performed at the Théatre Edouard VII and the Comédie des Champs-Elysées, 1919" Provenance: Ex-collection Lucien...
Paper, Ink, Watercolor, Pencil, Gouache
$1,150
H 13 in W 11 in D 2 in
Gibson Girls - Set of Two 1920's Portraits, Vintage Fashion Illustrations
Located in Soquel, CA
Gorgeous pair of two 1920's watercolor portraits of Gibson girls, one in blue and one in pink, by Charles Hollman (Dutch, 1877-1953). Each portrait renders...
Paper, Watercolor
$10,000
H 10 in W 7.5 in D 1 in
Art Nouveau Illustration Women and Children in the Woods
Located in Miami, FL
Complex Art Nouveau patterns intertwined with gracefull figures define this work by American Artist and illustrator, teacher and lecturer Mildred Bailey Carpenter. Signed in cartouc...
Gouache, Paper, Board
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