Cecil Beaton The Royal Portraits

Victoria and Albert Museum
Stately and intimate: a sumptuously illustrated collection of royal photographic portraits by Cecil Beaton (1904-80) carefully selected from the archive bequeathed to the Museum and reflecting the unsurpassed relationship Beaton enjoyed with his royal sitters. Covering 1927-79, the photographs are arranged in chronological order with informative captions and four introductory essays exploring the changing face of the House of Windsor as the 20th century progressed. Sublime black-and-white and colour portraiture in images truly crafted by Beaton, who saw his role as being that of a court artist rather than ‘simply’ a photographer. Mixing celebration and ceremony with behind-the-scenes glimpses and tender portraits of royalty with their children, the images transformed the public face of the monarchy, both nurturing intimacy while retaining mystique. Detailed captions introduce the sitters, with many portraits including Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (1900-2002) and Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), 100 years after the late Queen’s birth. Published in 2023 the large-format edition is a visual delight and sure to fascinate historians and royalists alike.

Hardback
30.5 x 25cm
239 pages
223 colour and black-and-white illustrations
FSC accredited paper