Have you ever read about someone whose body of work is so immense and
so accomplished that you can feel the breath sucked out of you?
Cecil Beaton was best known as a photographer of theatrical, royal and societal luminaries, and he snapped a few models here and there. The Londoner also designed for the stage and film, winning Oscars for costume design for Gigi and My Fair Lady and for his art direction on the latter. In 1972 he was knighted, but so was Cliff Richard so it's not a big deal, really.
While the days of being able to view his fashion photographs with a simple flip through Vogue or Vanity Fair
are long, long, gone, some of Beaton's most compelling work is
immediately tangible - through his many fascinating books consisting
largely of his diaries. Loaded with name dropping, juicy insider bits
(he had an affair with Greta Garbo in the 40s) and bitchy
observations, the gossip is countered by his voluminous heart-felt
expressions (Garbo would fit here as well) - an example being his love
of nature, particularly flowers.
The Glass of Fashion is considered by some to be his best writing. Described by Maria Bustillos, editor of Vintage Voice, as "a vivid book, sensual, rich, absurd, philosophical and prophetic", I was immediately intrigued and looked to see who was selling it. From what I gather it's out of print and if you want a used copy (albeit first edition, 1954) you can spend anywhere from $92 to $1035, depending on the condition. Hmm.....
The good news is you can get the more accessible title The Unexpurgated Beaton: The Cecil Beaton Diaries as He Wrote Them, 1970-1980 for $17.95 at Amazon.com. Written during Beaton's declining years, and being an unexpurgated diary (nothing has been removed) there is some detail that will be off-putting for some - though for most fans, likely not enough to spoil an otherwise enjoyable read (Andy Warhol and David Bailey make an appearance). Includes 40 photographs.
Matisse Series, 1952 Marilyn Monroe's favourite portrait
The official coronation portrait of Queen Elizabeth, taken after the ceremony (Amazingly, this could be a Dali painting with the addition of a halved pomegranate and a reference to sodomy.)
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