4107 - Beaton, Cecil

Beaton, Cecil The actress Greta Garbo (1905-1990), Plaza Hotel, New York. 1946. Gelatin silver print on doubleweight paper, printed later. 23,4 x 29,2 cm. Typed press text label and 2 agency stamps on the verso. Known for his glamorous celebrity portraits, Cecil Beaton was a close friend of Greta Garbo and photographed her frequently. In May 1946, she visited his Plaza Hotel suite seeking a passport photograph. The request developed into an extended sitting, in which Beaton used natural light from the window and the suite's restrained furnishings to create a sequence of unusually intimate images. He sent a selection to Vogue, where they appeared later that year, prompting Garbo's anger at their publication. The series nevertheless remains a rare post-Hollywood record of the resolutely private actress; original prints are held by institutions including the National Portrait Gallery, London. – Some nicks in edges, a few creases in upper right corner, a few light handling dents, small tear in upper edge, otherwise in very good condition.