Charles de Gaulle, 1940 - tallet

Fashion photographer Sir Cecil Beaton launched his career as a "society" photographer in 1926 with an exhibition in London that earned him an immediate contract with *Vogue*, where he worked for the next 30 years. Beaton's fascination with glamour and high society persisted throughout his life, and in 1937 he became the court photographer to the British Royal Family. He also became a successful set and costume designer for stage and film productions. Cecil Beaton began pursuing photography at a very early age. As a teenager, he spent many hours attempting to recreate the look of glamorous society portraits using his sisters as models. Candid snapshots and studio portraits of Beaton taken by his contemporaries showcase his sense of style, his charm, vanity, and vivacious personality. His career took off in the mid-1920s, when he began contributing photographs and illustrations to *Vogue* magazine. His first solo exhibition in London in 1927 established him as one of the leading fashion photographers and portraitists of his generation. Beaton became highly sought after on both sides of the Atlantic, photographing famous figures from Hollywood, the theater world, high society, and the British royal family.