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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level F , Case X, Shelf 914, Box C

Photograph

1945 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

One of twenty-two photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card. Depicting Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Windsor Castle, 1945. Standing, three-quarter length, 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 turns away the camera, and is seen in profile. One elbow is rested upon a column, while the other arm rests down by her side. Light from behind her, highlights her shoulders and the curls in her hair, as well as illuminating fresh flowers which surround her. 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). One of twenty-two photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card. Depicting Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Buckingham Palace, 1945.
Physical description
One of twenty-two photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card. Depicting Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Windsor Castle, 1945. Standing, three-quarter length, 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 turns away the camera, and is seen in profile. One elbow is rested upon a column, while the other arm rests down by her side. Light from behind her, highlights her shoulders and the curls in her hair, as well as illuminating fresh flowers which surround her. A backdrop depicts an enlarged and adapted section of 'The Swing' by the French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806).
Dimensions
  • Image width: 5cm
  • Image height: 7.2cm
  • Paper width: 32.5cm
  • Paper height: 34cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • '292-31' (Written in blue fountain pen beneath the image.)
  • 'Approved Photographs. Series 292 / Series B.301' (Written in capital letters, positioned in the lower left hand corner of the card.)
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 object
Bibliographic reference
Strong, Roy C. Cecil Beaton: the royal portraits. London: Thames and Hudson, c1988. p. 104
Other number
292-31 - Beaton's number
Collection
Accession number
PH.9275G-1987

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Record createdJune 8, 2009
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