Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton was a British photographer, designer, and diarist. Renowned for his elegant and often theatrical style, Beaton's work appeared in leading publications such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. He gained international acclaim for his portraits of celebrities, royalty, and socialites, as well as his work in fashion, theatre, and film. Though he is best known for his celebrity portraits, Beaton was also one of the most prolific photographers of life during World War II, taking over 7,000 photographs between 1940 and 1945 in Britain as well as in China and Africa.
