Yes, there's more, and no doubt more to come... but these previously unpublished photographs by Cecil Beaton in the Telegraph will get your heart racing. they did mine.
my favorite by far, Edith Olivier as ER I.
Edith is a great inspiration to me. Known to some- primarily as Rex Whistler's other woman-with her grand passion for Rex, Edith became his closest friend and confidante.Along with Cecil Beaton they formed a sort of menage a trois during the heady days of his Ashcombe- before the war brought their idyll to a fatal halt.
For others, she might just be Sir Laurence Olivier's cousin, & for others- Mayor of Wilton.
Still others may know her as author-and it is here she makes a profound impact on me. I find her writing to be-of the period-meaning before the War made such a profound and utter impact on the psyche of Britain. It's quite simply- poetry. I'm currently reading her Four Victorian Ladies of Wiltshire. It includes Mrs. Percy Wyndham, mistress of Clouds, member of the Souls, and mother to the sisters painted in Sargent's elegant portrait of the Wyndam Sisters. More about Mrs. Wyndham via Edith Olivier in another posting. For the moment-it's Beaton and and costume balls and country houses-and my heart, in the Telegraph, Here.
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my favorite by far, Edith Olivier as ER I.
Edith is a great inspiration to me. Known to some- primarily as Rex Whistler's other woman-with her grand passion for Rex, Edith became his closest friend and confidante.Along with Cecil Beaton they formed a sort of menage a trois during the heady days of his Ashcombe- before the war brought their idyll to a fatal halt.
For others, she might just be Sir Laurence Olivier's cousin, & for others- Mayor of Wilton.
Still others may know her as author-and it is here she makes a profound impact on me. I find her writing to be-of the period-meaning before the War made such a profound and utter impact on the psyche of Britain. It's quite simply- poetry. I'm currently reading her Four Victorian Ladies of Wiltshire. It includes Mrs. Percy Wyndham, mistress of Clouds, member of the Souls, and mother to the sisters painted in Sargent's elegant portrait of the Wyndam Sisters. More about Mrs. Wyndham via Edith Olivier in another posting. For the moment-it's Beaton and and costume balls and country houses-and my heart, in the Telegraph, Here.
the brilliance of Beaton
I am also a Beaton fan...I have the most marvelous black and white print he signed of Anna Magnani that was from the Harpers Bazaar photo library. Had had it since the early 70's...I will send you a scan of it when I get time. I should probably sell it...
ReplyDeleteJane, it's hard to part with these treasures. Would love to see the photograph. pgt
DeleteI love the story of Edith. Can't wait to read more.
ReplyDeleteDonna, you of course would love Edith. pgt
DeleteGaye this makes me want to see and read more, much more!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
yes, as Mary says-a rabbit hole, but old the best ones.pgt
DeleteNow, I'm going down another rabbit hole of discovery: need to find out more about Edith.....
ReplyDeleteThe is a huge sofa......so now I also need to find out more about the Countess of Pembroke.
Thank you.
Mary
Enjoy, Mary! thanks for reading! pgt
DeleteThanks Gaye for all the Post on Beaton - can't get enough-!
ReplyDeleteAnd that Absolutely Delightful Queen - I.m Inspired-!
-Mary
oh Mary I hope you are going to do a fantastic portrait of Edith. count me in! pgt
DeleteJust found your blog and I love it! I'm a huge Cecil Beaton fan, I think there's an exhibition in Wiltshire on him this summer.
ReplyDeleteJess, definitely-check out the other posts this week on the exhibition and the remaking of CB's Circus bed. pgt
DeleteGreat juxtaposition between the Van Dyck and the Countess. I read in the obituary of her husband, Henry Herbert (http://bit.ly/1lQitIn), that the bridesmaids and pages at their 1966 wedding wore costumes based on those in that painting. Claire received the classic icy welcome from Henry's grandmother, who told her that she would be the first commoner to marry a future Earl of Wilton since the fourteenth century :)
ReplyDelete