Skip to main content

Temporary road closures will be in place around the Gallery from 26 February during the Enlighten Festival.

Menu
What's on Prizes The Portraits Watch
The Gallery Governance & Board Circle of Friends
Learn Access Search the website
close close
What's on The Portraits The Gallery Learn Watch More O

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Katharine Hepburn, by Cecil Beaton, 1935

publ. July 1935. Credit: The Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby's, London

Katharine Hepburn, by Cecil Beaton, 1935

Vanity Fair

The incomparable Beaton
(More information, View all 6 images)

Johnny Weissmuller
Marilyn Monroe, 1956

Related information

Eileen Dunne in The Hospital for Sick Children, 1940
Eileen Dunne in The Hospital for Sick Children, 1940
Eileen Dunne in The Hospital for Sick Children, 1940
Eileen Dunne in The Hospital for Sick Children, 1940

The incomparable Beaton

Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2005

To accompany the exhibition Cecil Beaton: Portraits, held at the NPG in 2005, this article is drawn from Hugo Vickers's authorised biography, Cecil Beaton (1985).
Prince William of Wales, by Mario Testino, 2003 publ. September 2003. Credit: Mario Testino
Prince William of Wales, by Mario Testino, 2003 publ. September 2003. Credit: Mario Testino
Prince William of Wales, by Mario Testino, 2003 publ. September 2003. Credit: Mario Testino
Prince William of Wales, by Mario Testino, 2003 publ. September 2003. Credit: Mario Testino

Vanity Fair Portraits

Photographs 1913-2008

Previous exhibition, 2009

Vanity Fair Portraits traces the birth and evolution of photographic portraiture through the archives of Vanity Fair magazine.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The Gallery

Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
Home Contact Media Privacy statement User agreement Social media and community guidelines
© National Portrait Gallery 2025
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency