Cecil Beaton - cultural critique - 1969 - p. 205

Sir Cecil Beaton was a multitalented, gay British artist, photographer, and stage/costume designer; he also compiled ample diary entries on the celebrity subjects he often photographed. These juicy entries were amassed and published as collections, though the published versions were toned down to be less frank and brutal than some of the originals were. For all their negativity, they were often insightful--an entry on Marilyn Monroe, who later overdosed on sleeping pills, noted that her story “will probably end in tears.”

In addition to celebrities, Beaton distinguished himself as a war photographer during World War II, presenting haunting images of the damage inflicted throughout the UK by Germany’s trademark blitzkrieg attacks. Once the war was over, Beaton proved his hand at stage and costume design on Broadway, including a production of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan, and on films including Gigi and My Fair Lady.

Key elements: art, homosexuality