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.
Cecil Beaton: 1904-1980 by Electa Editrice Publishers
By Cecil Beaton
Located in New York, NY
"Cecil Beaton (1904-1980)", Published by Electa Editrice Portfolios, 16.25 x 12.50, 1982 A portfolio of twelve heliogravure plates with tissue guard-leaves and limitation leaflet wi...
Photographic Film
$275
H 10 in W 13 in
Young Lad ( haunting portrait of young boy on a crowded London street)
By Richard Sadler
Located in New Orleans, LA
Richard Sadler's "Young Boy" is a haunting portrait of a very serious young British lad amidst a crowd of other people. He is dressed very formally in hat, coat and tie. He clutche...
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper
$2,400
H 13 in W 19 in
Office Party, New York, Photograph Edition, Black and White, 1966, Signed
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Office Party by Leonard Freed is a 13" x 19" limited-edition photograph. The print Ed. 4/5 is signed verso (back of photo) by Brigitte Freed (wife of the ...
Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigme...
$2,985
H 22.05 in W 13.78 in D 0.08 in
Figurative photo, Signed limited edition contemporary print, Black white-Raquel
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
An original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘ Raquel ‘. This photograph is minimali...
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...
$3,500
H 14 in W 11 in
Kate Standing, Signed Vintage Gelatin Silver Print, 14x11, 2002, Female Nude
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Leonard Freed's stamped vintage (verso), 14" x 11," gelatin silver signed and hand-printed by Freed, Kate Standing, is from the Kate series, 2002. A photographer herself, model Kat...
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
$2,985
H 19.69 in W 14.18 in D 0.08 in
Christian - Signed limited edition fine art print, Black white photo, Homoerotic
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Christian - Signed limited edition archival pigment print, 1984 - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then pr...
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Black and White, Pigment, Archival Pi...
$4,179
H 40 in W 19.13 in D 0.02 in
Zip - Signed limited edition print, Black white photo, Sensual, Contemporary
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Zip - Signed limited edition archival pigment print , Edition of 10 This image was captured on film in 1982. From the same photoshoot, the so-called 'Stretch' print by Ian Sand...
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Black and White, Pigment, Archival Pi...
$2,985
H 20.48 in W 13.78 in D 0.08 in
Old couple - Signed limited edition fine art print, Black white, Paris Vintage
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Old couple, Paris - Signed limited edition archival pigment print - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film. The negative was scanned creating...
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Black and White, Giclée, Pigment, Arc...
$4,179
H 47.25 in W 34.26 in D 0.08 in
Rachael - Signed limited edition art print, Black white, Oversize contemporary
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Rachael - Signed limited edition archival pigment print - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film in 1983. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then...
Archival Paper, Black and White, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Pi...
$2,700
H 20 in W 16 in
Kate Resting, Black and White Gelatin Silver Photograph, Signed, 20x16 Nude
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
Black and white contemporary portrait photography of a female nude by Leonard Freed, Kate Resting, is in the photographer's series "Kate". A 20" x 16" gelatin silver photograph signed verso (back of photo) by the Freed estate. The self-assigned female nude photo series on Kate became a welcome reprieve for Leonard Freed who during a long photo...
Silver Gelatin, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper
$2,985
H 19.69 in W 13.39 in D 0.08 in
Franci - Signed limited edition art print, Black white, Woman on dentist chair
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
Franci - Signed limited edition archival pigment print - Edition of 5 This image was captured on film in 1986. The negative was scanned creating a digital file which was then prin...
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Black and White, Photographic Film, Pi...
$3,000
H 19 in W 13 in
Handcuffed, New York, Black and White Photography, Limited Edition 1/10, 1978
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
The iconic image appears in Leonard Freed's seminal book "Police Work," published in 1980. Handcuffed (or Arrested), New York City, 1978 by Leonard Fre...
Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigme...
$2,985
H 14.34 in W 19.69 in D 0.08 in
Franci & Rachael, Intimate photograph of 2 women lying down, Contemporary, Black
By Ian Sanderson
Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona
An original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘ Franci and Rachael ‘ who was capture...
Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Black and White, ...