Not currently on display at the V&A

Photograph

05/12/1933 (photographed), 24/01/1934 (published)
Artist/Maker
Horst Horst (photographer)
Place of origin
Paris (photographed)

This portrait shows the playwright and actor Noël Coward (1899-1973). This photograph was taken at the height of Coward's career in 1933, the year his comedy Design for Living (1932) opened on Broadway, and Cavalcade (1931) became a Hollywood film winning the Academy Award for Best Picture.


Object details

Categories
Entertainment & Leisure
Photographs
Object type
Photograph
Materials and techniques
Gelatin silver print on paper
Photographic Paper
Gelatin Silver Process
Photography
Brief description
Black and white photograph by Horst P. Horst of Noël Coward, published in British Vogue on 24th January 1934.
Physical description
Black and white portrait photograph of Noël Coward in a double breasted suit and tie. He is in a seated position leaning on the back of an upholstered chair and looking to his right. In his right hand he holds a lit cigarette. Three pencil marks on the surface of the print indicate the cropping area for publication.
Dimensions
  • Height: 23.9cm
  • Width: 17.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • PUBLISHED IN / BRITISH VOGUE. / JAN 24 1934 (Stamped and handwritten in blue and black ink on reverse)
  • PHOTOGRAPHER HORST / DATE 5 Dec. 1933 / WHERE Paris Studio / SUBJECT Noel Coward / MODEL / DATE OF ISSUE / 5-12-H208 (Stamped in red ink and handwritten in pencil on reverse)
  • H1 / 9558 (Handwritten in blue pencil on reverse)
  • 3965 / -2"- / 2658 / 71/2 (Handwritten in pencil on reverse)
  • Made for British Vogue (Handwritten in black ink on reverse)
  • FROM THE PARIS OFFICE (Stamped in red ink on reverse)
Credit line
Given by the British Theatre Museum Association
Object history
Given to the British Theatre Museum Association by R.C. Rennoldson in February 1965
Subject depicted
Noel Coward
Summary
This portrait shows the playwright and actor Noël Coward (1899-1973). This photograph was taken at the height of Coward's career in 1933, the year his comedy Design for Living (1932) opened on Broadway, and Cavalcade (1931) became a Hollywood film winning the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Other number
1965/A/13 - BTMA accession number
Collection
Theatre and Performance Collection
Accession number
S.3468-2013

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Record createdAugust 13, 2013
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1269591/photograph-horst-horst/
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