biography
1904
Beaton born in Hampstead the son of Ernest Beaton, a prosperous timber merchant, and his wife Etty Sissons.
1922-25
Attends St John's College where he studied history, art and architecture.
Sets up own successful photography studio in London.
1928
Moves to New York City for his first exhibition was in (January 1929).
1929
Hired by Vogue as contributing photographer.
1937
Appointed Royal Court photographer.
1940
Beaton's photograph Eileen Dunn in the Hospital for Sick Children, London (1940), a photograph of a child whose head is bandaged appeared on the cover of Life magazine and helped build support in the United States for the British war effort.
1940-1945
During the Second World War Beaton was initially posted to the Ministry of Information and given the task of recording images from the home front. 1942 Beaton was loaned to the Air Ministry for three months to photograph the Middle East, and "The Near East" came out of this in 1943.
1958
Wins an oscar for costume design for Gigi.
1964
Wins an Oscar for costumes costume design and art direction for My Fair Lady.
1972
Beaton receives a knighthood.
1980
Beaton dies at the age of 76.
selected exhibitions
2021
Cecil Beaton: Celebrating Celebrity, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Cecil Beaton and the Theatre, Zuleika Gallery,London
2020
Cecil Beaton's Bright Young Things, National Portrait Gallery, London (toured to Sheffield Museums)
2014
Cecil Beaton at Home: Ashcombe and Reddish, The Salisbury Museum, Wiltshire
2012-13
Cecil Beaton: War Photographer, Imperial War Museum, London
2011-12
Cecil Beaton: The New York Years, Museum of the City of New York
2005-6
Cecil Beaton: Portraits, Bendigo Art Gallery, Victoria, Australia
2004
Cecil Beaton: Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, London
1968
Cecil Beaton: Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, London
selected collections
The Hyman Collection, London
Victoria & Albert Museum. London
National Portrait Gallery, London
Imperial War Museum, London
British Council