CECILE BEATON'S - BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS BOOK

The elegant and extravagant world of London's “Bright Young Things” in the 1920s and 1930s, seen through the lens of renowned British photographer Cecil Beaton.

In 1920s and 1930s Great Britain, Cecil Beaton used his camera and his outgoing personality to mingle with the flamboyant and rebellious group of artists, writers, socialites, and partygoers who became known as the "Bright Young Things." Famously fictionalized by authors such as Evelyn Waugh (in Vile Bodies), Anthony Powell, and Henry Green, these men and women left a dramatic mark on the era and embodied its vibrant spirit.

Across a series of themed chapters, ranging from Beaton's earliest self-portraits and initial portraits to his time at Cambridge and his role as the leading society photographer for Vogue and Vanity Fair, more than 50 leading figures who posed for him are profiled, and the dazzling parties, fashion shows, and balls of the period are relived. Among this brilliant cast are Beaton's socialite sisters, Baba and Nancy Beaton, Stephen Tennant, Siegfried Sassoon, Evelyn Waugh, and Daphne du Maurier. Beaton's photographs are complemented by a wide variety of letters, drawings, book covers, and ephemera, as well as being contextualized by artworks created by people in his circle, including Christopher Wood, Rex Whistler, and Henry Lamb.

Cecil Beaton (1904–1980) is one of the most celebrated British portrait artists of the 20th century, renowned for his images full of elegance, glamour and style. Beaton quickly gained a reputation for his stunning and fantastic photographs, which peaked with his portraits of Queen Elizabeth in 1939. Also known for his diaries, Beaton became an indispensable figure in high society. His influence on portrait photography was profound and continues to be seen in the work of many contemporary photographers today.