Cecil Beaton

Cecil Beaton: The Royal PortraitsOrganized chronologically, from the 1930s to the 1970s, each of the book’s four chapters comprises an introductory essay, plates with extended captions, and one or two in-depth analyses of a particular sitting. Throughout, a variety of contextual material—contact sheets, test shots, outtakes, sketches, letters, journals, tear sheets—helps build a detailed picture of Beaton’s methods, the relationships he developed with his sitters, and how the portraits were received. Drawing on the Victoria and Albert Museum’s unparalleled collection of Beaton’s photographs, this volume will appeal not only to those interested in the photographer and his work, but also to anyone for whom the distinction between the private world and the public face of the royal family remains a source of fascination.