Photos of Hollywood Ladies thru the Lens of Cecil Beaton

Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) was friends with the ladies who loved to pose.  He was a prolific photographer, illustrator + fashion designer.  Always sporting a suit, this Brit started as a staff photographer for Vogue + Vanity Fair.  Life + work became intertwined as his personal circle of friends consisted of the aristocratic + glamorous elite: Audrey Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Julie Andrews, Maria Callas... to name just a few.  A true renaissance man, his works also contained  portraits of:  Cole Porter, Salvador Dali, Marlon Brando, Mick Jagger +Andy Warhol.

Marilyn Monroe, 1956

When in NYC, he rented space in various hotel rooms to stay in + also to double as his photo studio, where he shot his subjects.  The interiors of the suites in the Ritz Carlton, The Ambassador, The Waldorf Astoria, The Plaza + The Sherry Netherland had such beautiful architectural details +  fancy French furniture, that they were really the perfect backdrops for his elegant celebrity portraits.

Marlene Dietrich, 1935

Cecil Beaton, the artist,  also designed textiles + wall coverings. The pattern above, is still produced by the British textile manufacturer, Zika Ascher.

These larger than life illustrations line the walls in the hallway of the museum, leading to the show.

A retrospective of Cecil Beaton's work is on display at The Museum of the City of New York, until February 20, 2012. It's a lovely show in the perfect setting.