Photograph thumbnail 1
Photograph thumbnail 2
Not on display

Photograph

1939 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Beaton, Cecil (Sir) (photographer)
Place of origin
Buckingham Palace (photographed)

One of eleven photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card, depicting Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother). Head and shoulders portrait showing her wearing a strapless gown; embroidered with sequins, a diamond tiara and jewels. She is facing the camera. A backdrop depicts an enlarged and adapted section of 'The Swing' by the French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806).

Object details

Categories
Photographs
Portraits
Royalty
Object type
Photograph
Materials and techniques
photography
Paper
Brief description
Royal Portrait by Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). One of eleven images depicting Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother), Buckingham Palace, 1939. From a contact sheet, cut out, arranged and mounted on card.
Physical description
One of eleven photographs from a contact print; which has been cut out, arranged and mounted on card, depicting Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother). Head and shoulders portrait showing her wearing a strapless gown; embroidered with sequins, a diamond tiara and jewels. She is facing the camera. A backdrop depicts an enlarged and adapted section of 'The Swing' by the French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806).
Dimensions
  • Paper width: 27.8cm
  • Paper height: 50.5cm
  • Image width: 6.1cm
  • Image height: 7.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'N.S. No. 6'

    Note
    'N.S. No[-]' is written in blue fountain pen beneath each of the eleven images.

  • 'Approved Photographs. Series N.S. 1939'

    Note
    'Approved Photographs. Series N.S. 1939' is written in capital letters, positioned centrally in the upper portion 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
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother
Place depicted
Buckingham Palace
Bibliographic reference
Strong, Roy C. Cecil Beaton: the royal portraits. London: Thames and Hudson, c1988. p. 64-5
Other number
N.S. No. 6 - Beaton's number
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
PH.495F-1987

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Record createdJune 8, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O244604/photograph-beaton-cecil-sir/
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