Photograph
March 1945 (Photographed), 1946 (Published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Photograph depicting Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Windsor Castle, 1945. Head and shoulders, to left. Wearing an oval neck crinoline gown with puffed sleeves, designed by the British fashion designer Sir Norman Hartnell (1901-1979). The dress is embroidered with sequins to form floral patterns. The princess also wears a double-string pearl necklace. She looks at the camera, her expression still and thoughtful. Light from behind her, highlights her shoulders and the curls in her hair, as well as illuminating some fresh flowers which are seen at the edge of the frame. A backdrop depicts an enlarged and adapted section of 'The Swing' by the French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806).
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | photography |
| Brief description | Royal Portrait by Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). Photograph depicting Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Windsor Castle, 1945. |
| Physical description | Photograph depicting Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Windsor Castle, 1945. Head and shoulders, to left. Wearing an oval neck crinoline gown with puffed sleeves, designed by the British fashion designer Sir Norman Hartnell (1901-1979). The dress is embroidered with sequins to form floral patterns. The princess also wears a double-string pearl necklace. She looks at the camera, her expression still and thoughtful. Light from behind her, highlights her shoulders and the curls in her hair, as well as illuminating some fresh flowers which are seen at the edge of the frame. A backdrop depicts an enlarged and adapted section of 'The Swing' by the French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806). |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | '292-9A' (Written in pencil on the reverse.) |
| Gallery label | Princess Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace
March 1945
For his last wartime sitting at Buckingham Palace, Beaton revived the allure of his pre-war photographs. His new studies of Princess Elizabeth, published in February 1946, evoked the same dreamy atmosphere as the earlier portraits of her mother. Backlighting was used to create a bright aureole around the Princess’s shoulders and hair.
Gelatin silver print
V&A: Ph.4118-1987
(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. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Strong, Roy C. Cecil Beaton: the royal portraits. London: Thames and Hudson, c1988. p. 104 |
| Other number | 292-9A - Beaton's number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | PH.4118-1987 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | August 23, 2010 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
