Photographs by Snowdon: A Retrospective - Hardcover

Lord Snowdon (Earl Of Snowdon)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1855142724 ISBN 13: 9781855142725

Publisher: National Portrait Gallery Publications, 2000

Synopsis

One of the foremost photographers of the 20th century, Snowdon has, at one point or another, also been an accomplished architect, writer, award-winning film-maker, designer for the stage, garden and industry, craftsman, inventor, and spokesman for a multitude of causes. This retrospective reflects both the cornucopia of Snowden's achievements and his international status as one of the world's most highly acclaimed and respected creative photographers. Covering the complete range of Snowdon's photography for over 50 years, this book includes the fashion tableaux that set the style for modern British magazine photography; the pioneering examples of reportage for "Life" magazine and "Sunday Times"; still-life and landscape; studies of the ballet and theatre; and Snowdon's renowned celebrity portraits.

About this title

Review

Society and Snowdon are names that are synonymous with each other, and Anthony Armstrong-Jones has been at the forefront of that aspect of the British photography scene for an unbelievable half a century. With impeccable credentials--he was educated at Eton and Cambridge and married into the Royal family through his union with Princess Margaret, (they divorced in the 1970s)--Lord Snowdon has appeared, both in person and in his work, as the epitome of groomed elegance and exquisite taste. Photographs by Snowdon: a Retrospective, accompanying the National Portrait Gallery exhibition of the same name, shows his best work, and reveals that just about anyone who is anyone has been captured for posterity through Snowdon's lens. A contributor to Life, The Sunday Times and Vogue, Snowdon has caught some astonishing moments and people. A rather portly, bow-tie wearing Christian Dior, a smouldering Rudolf Nureyev and a smiling Francis Bacon dominate the 1960s; a cardigan-wearing John Betjeman and shrunken Agatha Christie stand out among his 1970s portraits, while the 1980s see such classic images as Bruce Chatwin, the eternal traveller with his walking boots strapped to his back, Barabara Cartland, doyenne of romantic fiction, resplendent in fuchsia pink, and a narcissistic, bare-chested Rupert Everett, a fledgling actor at the beginning of his career. But it isn't all about celebrities. Some of Snowdon's best work includes the series he did for the Sunday Times entitled "Mental Hospitals" in 1968; and a strong sense of compassion is also evident in his portraits of polio victims from Angola in 1999. This is a wide-ranging, beautifully produced book from a highly respected master of his craft. --Catherine Taylor

From the Publisher

With contributions from Drusilla Beyfus, Simon Callow, Georgina Howell, Patrick Kinmonth, Anthony Powell and Marjorie Wallace.

The first retrospective of Snowdon's photographic work, this book is sure to be one of the most important photography titles of the year. Covering the full and extraordinary range of Snowdon's photography for almost 50 years, with many previously unpublished photographs, it includes his pioneering reportage for Vanity Fair magazine and The Sunday Times, the still-life and landscape photography, dynamic studies from the ballet and theatre, ground-breaking fashion tableaux and, of course, the exceptional celebrity portraits.

Published in association with the exhibition Photographs by Snowdon: A Retrospective, held at the National Portrait Gallery, London, in Spring 2000, and subsequently touring to major venues in the USA and Europe.

Edition details

• Publisher: National Portrait Gallery Publications
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1855142724
• ISBN 13: 9781855142725
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 239