Lovers of literature, photography, fashion, history... mythomaniacs in general, stay tuned! On November 16 and 17, a series of portraits made by the eccentric Cecil Beaton, who belonged to the Sitwell family, one of the most important families of writers in England.
Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton (Hampstead, London, 1904 - Wiltshire, 1980) was an illustrator, photographer, set designer, war correspondent, artistic director, dressmaker… He made us dream in every possible way (including a fascinating portrait in Venice) and accumulated no less than three Oscars and four Tony awards throughout his career, although this detail is rather light to describe skill and excellence He greatly influenced several generations of photographers.
Cecil is especially remembered for the original and unforgettable costumes of the film my fair lady, as well as for being an iconic contributor to Vogue and Vanity Fair. He also photographed all the celebrities of his time, from the Shah of Persia to Marilyn Monroe, passing through Warhol and Gary Cooper.
He also had, not surprisingly, a close relationship with the Sitwells - the brothers Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell -, a family from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, who formed around themselves a literary and artistic clique in London, from 1916 to 1930 roughly, and who were even compared to the Bloomsbury circle.
Cecil Beaton (center) and writer Osbert Sitwell (right) painting a stage set in May 1928.
Beaton was Frequent visitor to his abode, Weston Hall, which was the seat of the illustrious Sitwell family from the early 20th century (and their ancestors from the 18th century) in Northamptonshire. Especially, during the height of the movement Bright Young Things, when the most lavish and intellectual evenings were held.
Naturally, the British could not leave the opportunity to immortalize friends and acquaintances with his talent behind the camera with such a suggestive personality.
Beaton's photos up for auction now form part of the sale of the contents of Weston Hall, a unique opportunity to get hold of a living piece of history, made by one of the most great portrait painters that have ever existed.
Print of the iconic photo taken by Cecil Beaton of Edith Sitwell (the hat is also up for auction). Lot Estimate: £500-£700 (Lot 324).
Beaton took many photographs of the Sitwell family, including the famous portrait of the lady of British poetry Edith Sitwell wearing an ostrich feather hat, which is in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and of which a print is for sale at this auction. The lot includes the original hat that appears in the photograph.
The extravagant Edith, whose jewels can also be seen in the aforementioned museum, was a source of inspiration for Beaton, that he also portrayed others as the artist Pavel Tchelitchew, of whom a selection of works is also for sale which remained in the Sitwells' collection.
One of three framed photographs of Georgia Sitwell by photographers Hay Wrightson (1874-1949), Maurice Beck and Helen Macgregor (1886-1960), who were the principal photographers for British Vogue (estimated to cost between £1,500 and £2,000 ).
Not only Beaton's works are of interest to curious and collectors, there are other photographs taken by other personalities of the time. Among the famous characters that parade among the auctioned snapshots, are Violet Gordon-Woodhouse (1872-1948), the first musician to record the harpsichord; Y Hon Desmond Parsons (1910-1937), an aristocratic esthete who was considered one of the most magnetic men of his generation.
To see the complete list of works and pieces that can be acquired in this bid titled Weston Hall and the Sitwells: A Family Legacy, You can visit this page or also see the catalog here.
Bright Young Things - A set of seven photographs dated between 1920 and 1930 (lot estimate £300-£500).