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Photograph

March 1945 (Photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Buckingham Palace, 1945. Seated, three-quarter length. 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 faces the camera, her expression is relaxed and smiling; and her hands are resting in her lap. 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).

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read 'Silver and Gold' by Norman Hartnell Sir Norman Hartnell (1901 – 79) was the star of London couture during the interwar years, gaining international fame as dressmaker to the British royal family. This abridged extract from his autobiography describes the most momentous commission of his career: the Coronation dress of Her Ma...

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), Buckingham Palace, March 1945.
Physical description
Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) Buckingham Palace, 1945. Seated, three-quarter length. 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 faces the camera, her expression is relaxed and smiling; and her hands are resting in her lap. 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: 17.8cm
  • Image height: 24.1cm
  • Paper width: 17.8cm
  • Paper height: 24.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
'292-23' (Written in pencil on reverse.)
Gallery label
(2012)
Princess Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace
March 1945

The flowers that appear in many of Beaton’s portraits were often picked from his own garden. Elaborate arrangements of roses, carnations, lilies and hydrangeas filled the space between a photographic backdrop and the sitter, and were an essential prop in the creation of his idealised Arcadian scenes.

Gelatin silver print
V&A: E.1361-2010
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
Bibliographic reference
Strong, Roy C. Cecil Beaton: the royal portraits. London: Thames and Hudson, c1988. p. 104
Other number
292-23 - Beaton's number
Collection
Accession number
E.1361-2010

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Record createdOctober 19, 2010
Record URL
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