Photograph
1943 (photographed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
One of twelve photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card. Depicting Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret, Windsor Castle, 1943. Seen full-length, they are standing at the top of a broad staircase (known as the Gothic staircase). The balustrade and surrounding walls are decorative; carved, gilded and panelled. A series of shield-like plaques encircle the upper walls. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother stands on the top step and rests one hand against a column. Princess Margaret stands close to her mother, also upon the stairs, several steps below. Both Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret look towards Princess Elizabeth, who is descending the stairs on the opposite side. With one hand on the banister, the camera captures her stepping carefully down from the top stair. She wears a simple floral-print dress.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | photography |
| Brief description | Royal Portrait by Cecil Beaton (1904-1980).One of twelve photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card. Depicting Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret, Windsor Castle, 1943. |
| Physical description | One of twelve photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card. Depicting Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret, Windsor Castle, 1943. Seen full-length, they are standing at the top of a broad staircase (known as the Gothic staircase). The balustrade and surrounding walls are decorative; carved, gilded and panelled. A series of shield-like plaques encircle the upper walls. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother stands on the top step and rests one hand against a column. Princess Margaret stands close to her mother, also upon the stairs, several steps below. Both Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret look towards Princess Elizabeth, who is descending the stairs on the opposite side. With one hand on the banister, the camera captures her stepping carefully down from the top stair. She wears a simple floral-print dress. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | '260-16' (Written in blue fountain pen beneath the image.) |
| Gallery label | The Royal Family, Windsor Castle
November 1943
After each royal sitting, Beaton would send a selection of the best photographs to the Palace for official approval before publication. Small prints of the approved photographs would be mounted on card, together with their negative numbers, to facilitate future print orders. The worn-out nature of this card indicates how frequently it must have been referred to by Beaton and his assistants.
Gelatin silver contact prints mounted on card
Ph.626A-L-1987
(2012) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed to the Museum in 1987 by Eileen Hose, secretary to the photographer |
| Production | Cecil Beaton photographed members of the royal family from 1930-1979. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Associated object | |
| Bibliographic reference | Strong, Roy C. Cecil Beaton: the royal portraits. London: Thames and Hudson, c1988. p. 100 |
| Other number | 260-16 - Beaton's number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | PH.626B-1987 |
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| Record created | August 17, 2010 |
| Record URL |
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