Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/A/A2/14a/43
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 20 Sep. 1948 (Circa. Letter dated 'Monday 20th Sept'.) (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
4 p. paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Photographer, artist, writer, and designer of scenery and costumes. Educated at Harrow and St John's College, Cambridge, 1922-5. Made his name as a photographer through portraits of the Sitwells. Employed by Vogue in London and New York. Published 'The Book of Beauty' (1930). Photographed the Duke of Windsor's wedding, 1937. War photographer, 1939-45. Designed 'Lady Windermere's Fan', 1945. Designed costumes for 'An Ideal Husband' and 'Anna Karenina', 1948. Worked on 'The School for Scandal', 1949, 'Quadrille' for Noel Coward, 1952, 'Turandot', 1961, and 'La Traviata', 1966. Designed costumes for 'My Fair Lady', 1956, and for the film version in Hollywood, 1963. His play 'The Gainsborough Girls', 1951 and 1959, was unsuccessful. Published 'The Glass of Fashion' (1954), and six volumes of diaries. Exhibited photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, 1968. Knighted 1972.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Informs her that he has spent the previous three weeks working on a book and two plays. Writes about his ordeal helping Aunt Jessie who suffered from an eye disease. Describes receiving serious criticism of his Gainsborough play from 'an extremely intelligent man who is an expert on all forms of drama'. Worries about current world politics. Considers travelling to Paris. Sends his regards to Azalea Mamoulian.