In 1934, Beaton was commissioned by Vogue to shoot an image of this hat by Suzy. Gelatin silver print - The Cecil Beaton studio archive, Sotheby's Here, Beaton's depiction of a character is so convincing that, without context, Nancy Beaton does not simply adopt a fantasy role, she actually becomes the fantasy character. In his early portraits, Beaton often utilized this technique of wrapping his sitters in beautiful or interesting backdrops and this enabled Beaton to distance them from their real selves and immerse them completely in the photographic world that he had created. The use of cellophane in the backdrop produces intricate patterns of reflection, allowing her to also embody the luminosity of a star.

The dramatic backlighting focuses attention on her face and torso, whilst the sheer, jagged backdrop, alluding to the rocky surface of a star, merges with the skirt of her costume making her part of the star itself. It has also been suggested that Beaton's interpretation of female glamour and male muscularity may have been informed by his sexuality and that this, along with his photo colleges, subsequently influenced the queer visual culture of Pop Art in the 1960s, including artists such as Andy Warhol and David Hockney.ġ928 Miss Nancy Beaton as a shooting starīeaton had a penchant for the theatrical and this can be seen in this photograph of his sister Nancy who models her fancy dress costume for the Galaxy Ball at London's Park Lane Hotel. This gave him a sense of guilt and shame throughout much of his life and this was a significant driving force in his desire for high achievement, proving his abilities to himself and others. Although Beaton dated a number of women including Greta Garbo, he preferred men and he had several prominent gay relationships.His images depict a country doing its best to carry on as normal and are infused with a sense of national pride, consequently many were utilized as propaganda to keep morale high during the conflict. Beaton utilized his photographic talents during the Second World War to document the British war effort, photographing the lives of normal people as well as the key political players of the era.He was particularly known for his use of unusual backgrounds including cellophane, silver foil and papier mâché and these complex sets are clearly rooted in theatrical practice. His fashion photographs were characterized by their decorative appearance and interesting compositions and his earlier images often contained elements of Surrealism.In doing so, he made them accessible and sympathetic to the wider public, helping to create or reinforce their status as iconic social figures. Beaton excelled at capturing the individual personality of his sitters, presenting them in new ways that brought out elements of their character not seen in other portraits.

Elizabeth ii cecil beaton